With two vacancies on the current Supreme Court, the upcoming nomination and confirmation process is sure to be must-see TV. Perhaps that explains why President Bush has nominated a former TV star to assist with the nominations process.
Yes, it’s true that Fred Thompson, he of NBC’s Law and Order has been named to “shepherd” potential nominees through the process.
I understand that Mr. Thompson also has a brief history in politics - but then so do the folks who portrayed “Gopher” on Love Boat and “Cousin Cletus” on The Dukes of Hazzard. My level of comfort with either of them just isn’t there when it comes to assisting in the process of naming the next Justices of the Supreme Court. What’s next? Perhaps Barbara Eden can help choose the next director of the space program at NASA? She did act in the role of “Jeannie” in I Dream of Jeannie and spent many hours with Larry Hagman’s character at the space center…
Okay, maybe I’m being a little too flip. But I am a little concerned about blurring the edges between reality and fiction. In a world increasingly obsessed with Reality TV (I will admit to being completed addicted to CBS’ The Amazing Race), I have a feeling that the next break-out show will be the SCOTUS nominations process as broadcast on CSPAN.
The importance of these nominations should not be overlooked. These Justices will have the ability to shape the course of American jurisprudence for years to come. Let’s hope that those who participate in this process take it seriously.
{ 0 comments… add one now }