WILLisms.com: "Have You No Sense Of Decency?"

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"Have You No Sense Of Decency?"

There is debate at the Volokh Conspiracy as to whether Ted Kennedy's technique of guilt-by-association against Samuel Alito evokes a valid analogy to Joseph McCarthy's disgrace at the Army-McCarthy hearings.

Here is Joseph Welch's famous rebuke to Joseph McCarthy at those hearings on June 9, 1954:

"Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

What was Ted Kennedy attempting to do today, other than to assassinate Sam Alito's character by charging him with responsibility for every statement made by Concerned Alumni of Princeton? Todd Zywicki's analogy is chillingly apt: Kennedy's clumsy accusation was entirely within the spirit of inquisition McCarthy was attempting to use against Fred Fisher, for having once been a member of the Lawyer's Guild.

Many Leftists are no doubt clucking tonight that this represents some kind of victory for them, not realizing that they have become the new John Birchers of the age.

P.S. - One wonders if any single Democrat will have the decency to extend an apology to Mrs. Alito. Michelle Malkin asks the same question.

Posted by Ken McCracken · 11 January 2006 10:02 PM

Comments

God bless Mrs. Alito! ...Having to listen to those doofuses badger her husband must be pure torture!... I still think Ted Kennedy should not be allowed to hold office let alone be questioning a Supreme Court candidate!... I really believe Teddy should just now be getting out of JAIL!...

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at January 12, 2006 10:07 AM

By all means, we should have Kennedy lecture us on minorities and women, all of whom he cares about, unless he's drunk and they are at the bottom of the river.

Posted by: Rob B. at January 12, 2006 10:31 AM

Not to mention his ex-wife (Joan) has been found drunk and broke out on the street... Yep, Ted is a fine citizen! NOT!!!...

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at January 12, 2006 11:30 AM

And just to complete the irony, one of McCarthy's most valued aides was a young lawyer, fresh out of law school, named Robert F. Kennedy...

Posted by: Jay Tea at January 12, 2006 12:33 PM

. . . who used wiretaps against people such as Martin Luther King, Jr., for example.

The irony of it all is rather rich.

Posted by: Ken McCracken at January 12, 2006 01:13 PM

Who is J Edgar Hoover and Robert Kennedy? ... Ken was that a Jeopardy question?...

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at January 12, 2006 08:02 PM

Also Nixon and bobby kennedy to boot. But do some research on Mccarthy and the venona (think that is spelled right) papers very interesting stuff. Alot of misleading info about mccarthy is out there.

Posted by: christian at January 12, 2006 08:49 PM

Also it is interesting that mcarthy rejected four previous requests by democrates to make the hearings public and announce names instead of just numbers. He stated, "if I were to give all the names involved, it might leave a wrong impression. If we should label one man a communist when he is not a communist, I think it would be too bad." Was he perfect, no, is he being twisted and his name slandered by the public academia, you bet.

Posted by: more at January 12, 2006 08:58 PM