14 responses to “Just like us.”

1. 

   alex said on September 13, 2005 at 10:24 am

   I’m sure he thinks it’ll make Ted Kennedy lob softballs, if not kisses.

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2. 

   Answer Me said on September 13, 2005 at 11:19 am

   Oh puhleeze, don’t be so heartless. Of course they’re too young to appreciate the nature of what’s going on; nonetheless, some day those kids will see the pictures of themselves with mom & dad at the hearings and feel a part of it–and a part of a very important moment in their parents’ lives.

   I don’t think Judge Roberts expects any quarter from Senator Kennedy. If the screams of Mary Jo Kopechne don’t haunt Senator Kennedy, then I’m sure a couple of adorable children won’t have any effect, either.

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3. 

   Nance said on September 13, 2005 at 11:48 am

   They’ve been trotted out for public display and public “awwwws” once.

   And yes, I felt the same way about John Edwards’ children.

   I’m still worried about that girl.

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4. 

   brian stouder said on September 13, 2005 at 12:23 pm

   Honestly, I only 1/2 disagree with Madam Telling Tales about “inappropriate places” for children, although I probably would have entirely disagreed before Sunday.

   Sunday was “Tourist in your own hometown” day in Fort Wayne, and the young folks and I made a bee-line for the Courthouse. The Allen County court house was built 140 years ago, and is a flat-out treasure; high dome, murals, frescos, lots of marble, mahogany, inlays, bronze – and so on and so forth. They had two of the Superior Court court rooms opened up to the public, and we wandered in there very much like Dorothy and her friends in the Wizard’s hall.

   The place had columns, circles of globe lights arranged on the very high painted ceilings, sculptures, walls of legal books (I found that particularly impressive) – and everyone could just poke around! Shelby (our 7 year old daughter) immediately went to the judge’s high desk and sat in the high-backed chair! Grant went right into the witness box and sat down. I swore Grant in (“Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”) and then took a seat in one of the (surprisingly comfortable) chairs in the jury box. Pammy snapped a few pics of Her Honor (and then of His Honor, when Grant and Shelby switched), and as we left, we discussed why they made that room in that grand, intimidating style….and it occurred to me that the usefule Oz-like quality of the place was maybe undercut a bit by letting us see ‘behind the curtain’.

   But that said – assuming Roberts sails through the confirmation process, someday one of his kiddos might get arrested for drunken disorderly conduct on the public green – and that will be sneered about on The Daily Show (or equivalent); so why not introduce the human factor right at the get-go? The family will be under the bright lights in any case, so letting HIS kids muck about in the grand Senate hearing room is at least mostly appropriate!

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5. 

   mary said on September 13, 2005 at 1:16 pm

   I think the Bush twins should stay home, myself.

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6. 

   basset said on September 13, 2005 at 9:34 pm

   “If the screams of Mary Jo Kopechne don’t haunt Senator Kennedy, then I’m sure a couple of adorable children won’t have any effect, either.”

   now THAT is a turn of a phrase. well said.

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7. 

   Pam said on September 14, 2005 at 8:53 am

   If those outfits are for real and not just for the posturing being done to get the appointment, then I’m worried about both the girl and the boy.

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8. 

   Randy said on September 14, 2005 at 9:06 am

   One thing to be grateful for – at least the Roberts don’t keep their kids in cages, like those foster parents in Ohio.

   At least, we assume they don’t.

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9. 

   Dave said on September 14, 2005 at 1:27 pm

   Randy! ?? Where’s the relevance? Just wanted to post something? Although I suspect there are probably some other undiscovered children locked away somewhere (a most disturbing thought), I don’t get the necessity of your comment, even in jest.

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10. 

    Dorothy said on September 14, 2005 at 3:40 pm

    I’ve waited long enough to chime in here. The Roberts adopted both of those kids, and John is 50 years old if memory serves correctly. I don’t know how old the Missus is. My point is they waited a long time to have kids and probably love to have them around as much as possible. After all, they aren’t in school yet so they weren’t missing anything important.

    I think it’s evident they are proud of their photogenic kids. I honestly think they just wanted the kids to be part of an exciting time in their lives. I have no idea how long they kept them there, but even though I understand their desire to have them participate, I sincerely doubt either of the tykes will ever remember the event. I think they believed it would put him in a very positive (and warm and fuzzy) light to have the kids be seen again.

    And Dave’s right. Randy’s comments were way out of balance with the issue.

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11. 

    blue girl said on September 14, 2005 at 4:01 pm

    I do have to say that when I’m nominated to the Supreme Court, I will drag my son with me for sure. (I have dragged him to events far less important.) And I get so freaked out when getting ready to go anywhere with my family where we have to be on time and dress nice — when everyone besides me is just taking their good old time — that my son would probably have the same look the little girl has!

    🙂

    The little girl does look quite zombie-ish. My 13 year old son would definitely have more of a “sneer” in my general direction.

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12. 

    MarkH said on September 14, 2005 at 4:06 pm

    Dorothy, well-stated.

    We Western Pa. people think alike.

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13. 

    mary said on September 14, 2005 at 4:07 pm

    blue girl

    Would it be a sneer or would he pretend he wasn’t with you? I get that sometimes from the adolescents in this house. It depends on the event. If there’s anything in it for them, we’re related. Otherwise, they’ve never seen me before.

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14. 

    blue girl said on September 14, 2005 at 4:23 pm

    Mary, if not sneering, definitely ignoring with a few grunts thrown in for good measure!

    All the way home, all I would hear is how *boring* everything was.

    “Son? So it *wasn’t* exciting to shake the hand of the President of the United States?”

    “No. It was boring.”

    But then he’s got this magical side also! Where he acts like a perfect gentleman in front of strangers.

    I guess there’s hope in that…

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