The politics of pandering and posturing

I read this question today from Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) to John Roberts and about fell out of my chair:

KOHL: Judge, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we all saw that those who suffered the most were those who had not been able to take advantage of the great opportunities that our great country has to offer. As we found out, those without employment opportunities and educational opportunities simply did not have the means to escape the storm and the flooding. As you seek to become the head of the judicial branch, as you seek the position of chief justice of the United States of America, what role would you play in making right the wrongs revealed by Katrina? And what role do you and the judicial branch play in making sure that we as a nation keep on moving forward toward providing equal opportunity to all Americans?

I mean, look at that question! Is this guy serious?  Let me emphasize the following questions/statements by Kohl once more:

• "we all saw that those who suffered the most were those who had not been able to take advantage of the great opportunities that our great country has to offer." 
• "those without employment opportunities and educational opportunities simply did not have the means to escape the storm and the flooding."
• "what role would you play in making right the wrongs revealed by Katrina?"
• "what role do you and the judicial branch play in making sure that we as a nation keep on moving forward toward providing equal opportunity to all Americans?"

First of all, can anyone explain to me why it’s John Roberts’ responsibility to "right" the Katrina "wrongs"?  Hello, Sen. Kohl – that’s a responsibility for local, state, and federal disaster relief planners to hammer out, not the Chief Justice of the USSC.  Secondly, is Sen. Kohl seriously suggesting/implying that opportunities aren’t already available and numerous to the people seeking them?  Thirdly, Sen. Kohl seems to be saying that this nation still doesn’t provide equal opportunity to all Americans.   Is this guy even living in the 21st century?  Methinks someone was engaging in a mega-dose of pandering and posturing before the cameras.

(Cross-posted at BlogsForBush)

(Linking up with the Mudville Gazette’s open post)

Related: Jay at Stop the ACLU blogs about the ACLU’s issues with John Roberts.  Heh.

More: John Cole says:

I guess what depresses me is watching bright people, and having just read the Ginsburg testimony, reading these bright people be subjected to questioning from this motley collection of morons. If I were a Senator on the Judiciary Committee, I would do everything I could to make these hearings as short as possible to keep the public from finding out how stupid our elected leaders really are…

Yep.

Weds a.m. Update: Patterico and I appear to be on the same wavelength on this stupid question.