SENATOR KENNEDY TO APPEAL EJECTION TO PLAYERS' UNIONWASHINGTON - It was opening day at the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee John Roberts yesterday, and Judge Roberts stunned committee members by strolling into the Capitol in the full regalia of a major league umpire, mirroring his view of what a judge is supposed to be.
"Umpires don't make the rules, they apply them," Roberts declared matter-of-factly in his opening statement. He cautioned the committee that he has "a high strike zone," and then asked Senators Specter and Kennedy, the ranking Republican and Democrat on the committee, for their "line-up cards." The Senators exchanged confused looks, but Roberts broke the silence by shouting, "Play ball" to start the questioning.
Kennedy, the husky veteran from Massachussetts, was first up, and with each question he lobbed, Judge Roberts crouched down as if calling balls and strikes. Kennedy pressed Roberts for his views on abortion, and when Roberts refused to answer, Senator Joseph Biden, D-Del., jumped from his seat and ran toward Roberts, kicking dirt on Roberts' shoes and angrily shouting at him. Roberts turned from Biden and slowly walked away, but when Biden persisted, Roberts spun around and pointed to him, issuing a stern warning. Arlen Specter, R-Pa, ran in to hold back a furious Biden, and the Senate table emptied as a melee erupted.
In the end, Judge Roberts ejected Biden and Kennedy for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kennedy said he will appeal his ejection to "the court of last resort - the most powerful arbiter of right and wrong in America," the Major League Baseball players union.
