May 22, 2006

"We have to pray for your brother. He's in real trouble."

Said Clarence Thomas to President Bush's sister. (Quick: Did you know the President had a sister? Do you know her name?)

More from the same Lloyd Grove column:
Later I had a nice chat with the conservative justice — who's had little use for journalists since his 1991 confirmation hearings, in which Anita Hill accused him of inappropriate sexual advances and Thomas accused the Senate Judiciary Committee of conducting "a high-tech lynching."

"Life is long," I said at one point.

"That's right," Thomas agreed. "That's what you should say when somebody does something to you: Life is lo-o-ong. Ha-ha."

Sounds like Thomas is still trying to get over that unpleasant piece of business from long ago.
Who knows what Thomas was thinking when he said that? And there are so many ways to vocalize "ha-ha." Well, Grove knows the context and heard the intonation, and he's saying Thomas is still pissed. Wouldn't you be?

21 comments:

MadisonMan said...

I know he has a sister. And also a sister that died years and years ago, too. But I didn't recall the name correctly -- I thought it was Dodo (really!), not Doro. But both spring from Dorothy, don't they?

Do I win a prize?

goesh said...

would that be as in doe-doe or doo-doo? With a dummy for a brother, I guess it doesn't much matter how one says it....

MadisonMan said...

Dodo like the bird. I'm not sure from where my misconception sprang.

alkali said...

... he's saying Thomas is still pissed. Wouldn't you be?

Depends on whether he's pissed (i) that he was falsely accused or (ii) that he was exposed.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, you're right. I think the American People should still be pissed that this guy made it into the Supreme Court. Stupid president and cowardly congress.

Anonymous said...

Clarence Thomas, of Opus Dei, should be praying for the country, instead of preying on the country. He should be flagellating himself, instead of flagellating the constitution.

And he should consider reading Power Surge: The Constitutional Record of George Bush, a free report from the Cato Institute.

amba said...

Sister's name is Doro Bush Somethingorother.

rhblggst (belch, or Bronx cheer?)

ShadyCharacter said...

Quxxo, does it bother you that the rhetoric you're employing against a black catholic man is indistinguishable from that employed by the Klan?

I'm guessing it does not bother you.

I suggest you look into your heart and try to figure out why you share the anti-Catholic anti-black prejudices of those you probably were raised to hate...

Anonymous said...

What precisely did I say that was either anti-black or anti-catholic?

Be specific! No partial credit.

ShadyCharacter said...

I'll leave it to the readers to decide whether you brought up Opus Dei and self-flagellation as a compliment to the man and to demonstrate respect for his faith.

I'll also allow others to search Ann's archives for your frothing antipathy for Thomas under you other name, Quxxo.

Ricardo said...

I'm not sure why we're supposed to be praying. Is this like praying for a new Lexus, or praying for an iPod, or praying that you'll "get some" on Saturday night? Are ratings an appropriate use of prayer? From a capitalistic (or Darwinian) viewpoint, what doesn't work is "supposed" to go away, and be replaced by something that does work.

And what's with the Emile Zola costume?

Anonymous said...

I'll also allow others to search Ann's archives for your frothing antipathy for Thomas under you other name, Quxxo.

Well, here, let me help them and you

A quick count suggests that I have mentioned Clarence Thomas only once, to state that he only served as a judge for one year prior to his nomination.

That's frothing antipathy?

When anyone chooses to perform their own count Shady, they will understand who the trolls are.

And what's with the Emile Zola costume?

It was a wonderful short story. Have you read it?

Finn Alexander Kristiansen said...

What, specifically, is wrong with Opus Dei? (Not counting nonsense movie portrayals that the gullible and stupid like to latch onto).

Ruth Anne Adams said...

And there are so many ways to vocalize "ha-ha."

I'm hearing [The Simpsons] Nelson Munce's high pitched 'ha-ha'.

Ricardo said...

"Have you read it?"

Oh absolutely. It's a classic. That's why I smiled when I saw the name. Although the circumstances are different, I've always thought that we needed something like where Dreyfus ended up, but for politicians who abuse the public trust. Where could we get an island?

Anonymous said...

I vote the moon. It would be hard to spoil its surface, even with politicians, and it would help garner widespread public support for NASA.

Beth said...

I don't often step forth to defend qoxo, but to accuse him of Klan-like rhetoric here is just bullshit. Chriso, thanks for explaining why.

Beth said...

I don't often step forth to defend qoxo, but to accuse him of Klan-like rhetoric here is just bullshit. Chriso, thanks for explaining why.

KCFleming said...

Re: "and he's saying Thomas is still pissed. Wouldn't you be?"

Whether one believed Clarence Thomas or Anita Hill is another litmus test for left versus right. To the left he is irredeemable, to the right, the false accusation is unforgiveable.

But neither one has behaved since then in a way that gives lie to their testimony. Both seem to be rather ordinary people, caught in fame.

So it's hard to know what to think here. As it is with many harassment claims, the tuth is elusive, and oftentimes both sides get wounded. How must one treat people who end up thus maligned? Wait and see, I guess. Wait and see.

Carlo said...

her name's Doro Koch

Beth said...

My god, Pogo. This is one of those few times when you and I are in accord. You are particularly astute in noting that neither Thomas nor Hill has gone on to present themselves in any way that indicates a fraud.