This is U.S. Appeals Court Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, a Clinton appointee who gave a glowing endorsement of her colleague, Sam Alito, earlier today, along with six other judges from the appeals court who appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to support Alito. Chuck Schumer walked out before the judges started to speak. Teddy Kennedy showed up late, stayed for 10 minutes, then left. Pat Leahy put on a dour face for a short time, and also bailed. Dianne Feinstein, to her credit, remained for the duration and asked respectful questions. John at Power Line notes:

This is truly extraordinary. Extraordinary that Judge Alito’s colleagues have turned out to defend him against the Democrats’ smears; extraordinary that the Democrats themselves couldn’t be bothered to stick around to hear what this distinguished group of judges had to say. After all, if the Democrats were actually interested in what kind of judge Sam Alito is, these are precisely the witnesses who could tell them. If the Democrats really thought that Alito’s judicial opinions reflect poorly on him, these are exactly the people who could answer their questions, and, if they are correct, confirm their fears. But the Democrats apparently knew that wasn’t going to happen. The only conclusion one can draw is that the Democrats knew they were smearing a fine man and a fine judge. But the fact that they didn’t even have the decency or respect to stay and listen to Alito’s colleagues is disgusting.

Indeed, if Judge Barry were a screeching liberal moaning about Alito’s threat to the female populace, the Dems would have been all ears–and Judge Barry would have been all over the evening news tonight. But she wasn’t. And so for those who lead normal lives and aren’t parked in front of C-SPAN during the day, here’s a clip of Judge Barry’s extraordinary testimony:

Download the video (.wmv file). 3.2MB.

Given how the unhinged Left has been savaging Mrs. Alito, I can only image the attacks Judge Barry will soon be facing for speaking her mind.

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Transcript via WaPo:

BARRY: Samuel Alito set a standard of excellence that was contagious — his commitment to doing the right thing, never playing fast and loose with the record, never taking a shortcut, his emphasis on first-rate work, his fundamental decency.

The assistant United States attorneys who worked for him were proud to do so. They admired him completely.

Now, of course, in 1990 Judge Alito became Judge Alito. And you have heard the most glowing things said about Sam as a colleague on our court. I embrace every glowing statement.

Let me just conclude with this: Judge Alito is a man of remarkable intellectual gifts. He is a man with impeccable legal credentials.

BARRY: He is a fair-minded man, a modest man, a humble man. And he reveres the rule of law.

If confirmed, Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. will serve as a marvelous and distinguished associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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