THE DEAN HAS SPOKEN:

Roberts's Sterling Showing (David S. Broder, September 18, 2005, Washington Post)

The question of whether Judge John Roberts is qualified to be chief justice of the United States has been rendered moot by his performance in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. He is so obviously -- ridiculously -- well-equipped to lead government's third branch that it is hard to imagine how any Democrats can justify a vote against his confirmation.

Start with his intellect. This is a man whose knowledge of constitutional law goes well beyond his intimate familiarity with seemingly every Supreme Court decision. It is rooted in a thorough understanding of American history. He quotes Hamilton in the Federalist Papers not to show off his erudition but to buttress a point completely pertinent to current debates.

Next, his temperament. He has a quick wit, one that repeatedly disarmed even the prickliest of his questioners. You don't have to be an expert on reading "body language," as Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma claimed to be, to see that he is perfectly comfortable in his own skin, immune to pressure.

What was most impressive to me was the depth of his appreciation of what it means to be a judge.

Goodness, he's almost drooling...

Posted by Orrin Judd at September 18, 2005 10:54 PM