Defiant Clarence Thomas fires back

Politico ^

[Sub-Driver]

Defiant Clarence Thomas fires back

By: Kenneth P. Vogel February 27, 2011 01:22 PM EST

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas – his impartiality under attack from liberals because of his attendance at a meeting of conservative donors sponsored by the Koch brothers and his wife’s tea party activism – struck a defiant tone in a Saturday night speech in Charlottesville, Va., telling a friendly audience that he and his wife “believe in the same things” and “are focused on defending liberty.”

Delivering the keynote speech at an annual symposium for conservative law students, Thomas spoke in vague, but ominous, terms about the direction of the country and urged his listeners to “redouble your efforts to learn about our country so that you’re in a position to defend it.”

He also lashed out at his critics, without naming them, asserting they “seem bent on undermining” the High Court as an institution. Such criticism, Thomas warned, could erode the ability of American citizens to fend off threats to their way of life.

“You all are going to be, unfortunately, the recipients of the fallout from that – that there’s going to be a day when you need these institutions to be credible and to be fully functioning to protect your liberties,” he said, according to a partial recording of the speech provided to POLITICO by someone who was at the meeting.

“And that’s long after I’m gone, and that could be either a short or a long time, but you’re younger, and it’s still going to be a necessity to protect the liberties that you enjoy now in this country.”

Thomas spoke at the closing banquet for the symposium, which was sponsored by the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group.

[DeskCaptain]

I hope Thomas lives to be a hundred. Heaven help us if a democrat’s president when a conservative justice leaves the court.

[Eva]

Yeah, Napolitano is head of Homeland Security, a very sensitive position for the Obama administration, when that AZ case makes it way to the supreme court.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Good for Thomas.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

I have to say that Biden was not all that bad during Thomas' hearing. Certainly better than most of them. I recall in particular that he seemed really interested when he learned from Thomas that Hill had been in his apartment a lot, they'd sat and had friendly discussions, etc. Biden said something to the effect of "Wow, I didn't know that. She's really been in your apartment? I wonder why she didn't tell us about that, and I'd like to ask her about that when she comes back." As we all know, she declined the invitation to reappear.

Now, it may well just be that the guy is too stupid to have figured out ways to attack Thomas unfairly, and so his lack of imagine compelled him to be truthful on occasion.

[livius]

“You all are going to be, unfortunately, the recipients of the fallout from that – that there’s going to be a day when you need these institutions to be credible and to be fully functioning to protect your liberties,” he said...

I'm glad he's defending our institutions, too, which Obama is attacking so violently that I really don't think I've seen anything comparable...except in a banana republic when the dictator takes over.

As a Spanish translator, I've seen this a lot in recent years with the resurgence of the Latin American left. And they always launch an attack on the rule of law and the separation of powers (since many of their constitutions have a tripartite system modeled on ours).

Some days I feel like running out into the streets with a loudspeaker, because the same thing is happening here and we're just sitting back and watching it happen.

[terycarl]

Ooops. Mea culpa. I’d been thinking of that other fascist pig Janet Reno.

same difference, both of them were/are in way over their heads....1 wqas appointed because she was female, the other because she was a female....neither of them were qualified for their jobs....the results are obvious

[stickywillie]

Just wonderin’ what Clarence is going to have to say this Friday, March 4th, about obama’s eligibility. He was enjoying a good chuckle when he recently said they had been “evading” that issue. Good grief. Were “had been” the key words in that sentence?

[BobL]

“Conservatives have to be held to standards, but Lefties can be held to no standards.”

Yea, Thomas goes to one meeting and he’s EVIL. Meanwhile a former ACLU president sits next to him...no problem at all.

I’m ok with Thomas leaving the court...as long as President DeMint gets to name his successor.

[BobL]

I think that the only option that liberals have to stop him (other than assassination...which certainly is not beyond them) is impeachment. But that takes a vote of the House. Fat chance now.

[SharpRightTurn]

A good jurist and a defender of the constitution.

Of course the left hates him.

[jazusamo]

I'm glad he's defending our institutions, too, which Obama is attacking so violently that I really don't think I've seen anything comparable

Absolutely...It must be terribly difficult for Justice Thomas and the other conservative Justices to watch what Obama and his appointed leftists as well as liberals in general are doing to the rule of law.

It's a must that we take back the Senate and White House in 2012 to start straightening out what is happening.

[taraytarah]

bookmark

[RipSawyer]

The sickening part is how the pinheads on the left insist that any white man who did not vote for Obama has to be a racist because there is no other reason not to support him while steadfastly ignoring that most if not all those same white people are passionate admirers and defenders of Clarence Thomas, not to mention Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Allen West and others. Selective racism?

[Clintonfatigued]

I don’t know of any public official who has been subjected to more abuse and smears than Clarence Thomas. It’s amazing that he can drag himself out of bed and appear in public every day, knowing that his enemies are looking for an excuse to slime him.

[Servant of the Cross]

Joe Biden is a two-faced liar. I'll let Clarence Thomas elaborate:

Throughout my life I’ve often found truth embedded in the lyrics of my favorite records. At Yale, for example, I’d listened often to “Smiling Faces Sometimes,” a song by the Undisputed Truth that warns of the dangers of trusting the hypocrites who “pretend to be your friend” while secretly planning to do you wrong. Now I knew I’d met one of them: Senator Biden’s smooth, insincere promises that he would treat me fairly were nothing but talk.

Biden allowed the Thomas hearings “to degenerate” into “a personal show trial” by letting University of Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill make accusations about alleged improper remarks and actions she attributed to Thomas. Thomas’s recent autobiography, “My Grandfather’s Son: A Memoir,” accuses Biden of unfair treatment, noting that Biden had promised Thomas “would be considered on the basis of his qualifications alone.”

[rlmorel]

Thank you very much for reminding me.

I remember when this book came out, and I had made a mental note to pick it up on audible.com. (I pretty much do all of my “reading” by listening to books now because my eyes are in such crappy shape grammar trouble getting through three or four pages before they start water…)

Interestingly, I went to the Audible.com website and to my regrettable lack of surprise, they didn’t carry the book. I have had an account with these folks for a long time, and I pay $20 a month and can download two books… from a price perspective, this works out pretty well.

However, it is been my experience that they are very liberal website and have to be prodded to carry some conservative books. When a piece of garbage book from some liberal politician such as Ted Kennedy comes out, they carry it from day one.

So, I know I shouldn’t be surprised nor disappointed, but I still am. In any case, I am looking forward to reading (listening) to this book. I have a huge amount of respect for Clarence Thomas, and the more I hear about them, the more I like him.

[Servant of the Cross]

Click on the link and watch. It's short. Justice Thomas looks directly at him (Biden was responsible for the circus and had lied to Thomas behind the scenes about the process he would be subjected to) while he was making his final statement. The power of an honest man done wrong was too much for even biden to bear. He looks down, knowing Justice Thomas had just called him out for his lying shameful behavior.

Also, look at Justice Thomas' wife in the background during this statement. She's proud of him, but real pissed at the lynching that had taken place. I would have liked to see her tell biden what she thought of him.

[Tex-Con-Man]

Just wonderin’ what Clarence is going to have to say this Friday, March 4th, about obama’s eligibility. He was enjoying a good chuckle when he recently said they had been “evading” that issue.

As a fan of Justice Thomas, I am sick and tired of that idiotic birther myth.

Thomas never, I repeat NEVER publicly stated they were evading the issue of Obama's presidential eligibility. What they were discussing, jokingly, was the presidential eligibility of the Puerto Rican born committee chairman. This particular subject was a running gag between the Chairman and Justice Thomas for over ten years.

Please stop repeating this lie.

[Radix]

I happen to admire Justice Thomas very much. I read his book the day after it was available and I do read fast at times.

Maybe he should have spoken to his “Ghost Writer Assistant” to refrain from the comment about reading Spiderman comic books when he was able to afford one.

SpiderMan was not invented until 1963. Thomas was 15 years old at the time.

I dunno, when I read that I was a bit put off. I cannot say that it was completely made up, but it simply did not seem in congruence with the story line at the time.

I dunno exactly why I took such note of that particular subject as it went before my eyes, but it seemed as if I was being spoon fed a bit of jive.

Anyhow, I really can not think of any criticisms of the man himself in the public forum. If I ever write an autobiography, I will not put things in there that might even remotely be perceived as not plausible.

Liberal Democrats do that regularly.

I think that he is a great American, and we simply do not have enough like him these days.

[EternalVigilance]

“You all are going to be, unfortunately, the recipients of the fallout from that – that there’s going to be a day when you need these institutions to be credible and to be fully functioning to protect your liberties,” he said

Defend the life of the child in the womb and their protection as persons by the Fifth and the Fourteenth Amendments, and I'll believe you're serious, your honor.

"The institution" has brought discredit on itself.