To save you the trouble of sitting through the Democrats’ unrelenting condescension, arrogance, and Category 5 windbagginess, I bring you a video clip of today’s Alito confirmation hearings that epitomizes the Left’s desperation.

You’ve read by now of Teddy Kennedy’s ridiculous call to subpoena the papers of William Rusher, former National Review publisher who helped found the Concerned Alumni of Princeton group. Power Line recaps here. Those papers are available at the Library of Congress and, as NRO’s Kathryn Lopez noted, have already been pawed over by the NYTimes. There’s. Nothing. There.

An aside: If only these Dems were 1/100th as interested in digging into Sen. Bobby Byrd’s proud membership and leadership position in the real KKK as they were into Alito’s membership in CAP…

Anyway, here’s a portion of the catfight between Kennedy and Sen. Arlen Specter, ending in Specter smacking down his gavel in an I’m-the-chairman-you’re-not pique. (Kennedy, of course, is the windbaggier antagonist here, but it’s still hard to root for Specter.) The 9.2 MB clip is a bit long, but well worth watching to the end.

Download the video (.wmv file).

Judge Alito has the endurance of a triathlete. Don’t know how he can keep a straight face.

Drudge reports that Alito’s wife left the hearing room today in tears.

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The Political Teen has more.

Full transcript here.

Excerpt:

KENNEDY: Well, Mr. Chairman, if I could have your attention, I think we ought to vote on issuing a subpoena to the custodian of those CAP records.

KENNEDY: And I want to do that at an appropriate time. I’d move that the committee go into executive session for the purpose of voting on the issuancing of — the sole purpose for issuing the subpoena of those records.

SPECTER: Well, we’ll consider that, Senator Kennedy. There are many, many requests which are coming to me and many quarters. And, quite candidly, I view the request — if it’s really a matter of importance, you and I see each other all the time and you have never mentioned it to me.

And I do not ascribe a great deal of weight — we actually didn’t get a letter, but…

KENNEDY: You did get a letter. Are you saying…

SPECTER: Well, now wait a minute; you don’t know what I got. I’m about to…

KENNEDY: Yes I do, Senator, since I sent it.

SPECTER: Well, the sender does not necessarily know what the recipient gets, Senator Kennedy. You are not in a position to say what I receive.

If you’ll bear with me for one minute.

KENNEDY: But I am in a position to say what I sent to you on December 22.

SPECTER: You’re in a position to tell me what you sent.

KENNEDY: I renew my request, Senator. And if I’m going to be denied, then I’d appeal the decision of the chair.

I think we are entitled to this information. It deals with the fundamental issues of equality and discrimination.

This nominee has indicated he has no objection to seeing us these issues. We’ve gone over the questions and we are entitled to get that kind of information. And if you’re going to rule it out of order, I want to have a vote on that here on our committee.

SPECTER: Well, don’t be premature, Senator Kennedy. I’m not about to make a ruling on this state of the record.

I hope you won’t mind if I consider it, and I hope you won’t mind if I give you the specifics that there was no letter which I received.

I take umbrage at your telling me what I received. I don’t mind your telling me what you mailed. But there’s a big difference between what’s mailed and what’s received. And you know that.

We’re going to move on now.

Senator Grassley…

KENNEDY: Mr. Chairman, I’d appeal the ruling of the chair on this.

SPECTER: There has been no ruling of the chair, Senator Kennedy.

KENNEDY: Well what is the — my request is that we go into the executive session for the sole purpose of voting on a subpoena for these records that are held over at the Library of Congress — that purpose and that purpose only.

And if I’m going to be denied that, I’d want to give notice to the chair that you’re going to hear it again and again and again and we’re going to have votes of this committee again and again and again until we have a resolution.

I think it’s…

SPECTER: Well, Senator Kennedy, I’m not concerned about your threats to have votes again, again and again. And I’m the chairman of this committee and I have heard your request and I will consider it.

And I’m not going to have you run this committee and decide when we’re going to go into executive session.

We are in the middle of a round of hearings. This is the first time you have personally called it to my attention, and this is the first time that I have focused on it. And I will consider in due course.

[Gavel: Wham!]

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