The Big Mystery: Justice Alito M.I.A. from Obama/Biden meeting with Supremes

By GottaLaff

Yesterday, Paddy posted about the meeting between P.E. Obama and V.P.E. Biden and the Supreme Court justices. How wonderfully pleasant! How oh-so-congenial!

Wednesday's meeting was described as a relaxed, get-acquainted session. It included Roberts, seven associate justices and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

How hunky dorily positive! How... how... wait a minute. Seven associate justices? Seven? Who was missing? Who would even think to snub the future president and vice president when they were clearly going out of their way to say a big introductory howdy-do? And why?

The absence of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who was at the court Wednesday morning for arguments in two cases, was a mystery. He has, however, voiced lingering anger over Senate Democrats, including Obama and Biden, who voted against his confirmation three years ago. When walking on Capitol Hill, Alito has said, he crosses to the far side of the street whenever he nears the Senate Office Building.

It's reassuring to know that a Supreme Court judge, a member of an august body that supposedly personifies impartiality and dispassion, holds a personal grudge and acts out his petulance like a pouting little third grader.