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US & Int'l Papers
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Hearing Transcript Friday January 13, 2006
[Note: I suspect that every person - Republican or Democrat - who has ever had to appear at a Senate confirmation hearing wishes he or she could have responded like this] Richard A. Galen To be Junior Deputy Assistant Subordinate Secondary Secretary of State For International Kumbaya Affairs THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Galen, the Committee would like to welcome you and the chair would caution you that this will be a fairly brief hearing inasmuch as, until your nomination came to us, we were not aware there was a position of Junior Deputy Assistant Subordinate Secondary Secretary of State for Kumbaya Affairs. MR. GALEN: Thank you Senator. Until my wife found the letter nominating me underneath the stack of Christmas cards from my car dealer and my bank, I didn't know it either. [LAUGHTER] THE CHAIRMAN: The Ranking Democrat has asked for time. THE RANKING DEMOCRAT: Mr. Galen, in your column "Mullings" did you, at any time, compare my colleague, Senator Schumer of New York, as "garbage?" MR. GALEN: That is an absolute lie, Senator. I would never compare a United States Senator to garbage. I compared him to dog poop. I wrote, "Any time Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer is the lead dog for the Democrats, you want to watch where you step" THE RANKING DEMOCRAT: And, Mr. Galen, did you once portray another colleague, Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts, as having misbehaved while in college? MR. GALEN: Another lie, Senator. What I wrote was, while Senator Kennedy was a student at Harvard he was an admitted cheater, having "arranged for a friend to take a Spanish exam for him, an incident he later had to own up to before taking public office."THE RANKING DEMOCRAT: Do you think that spreading right wing-generated rumors like that is helpful to your confirmation process? MR. GALEN: The rumor about Senator Kennedy cheating was a direct quote from that well-known mouthpiece for, and wholly-owned subsidiary of, the vast right-wing conspiracy: the PBS website. THE RANKING DEMOCRAT: Let's move along to another issue. As you know, there has been a great deal of discussion regarding the qualifications of political appointees. What, in your background, qualifies you for this position? MR. GALEN: I am no less qualified to do this job, then you were to do your job when you were first elected to public office. Or maybe even now. THE RANKING DEMOCRAT: Mr. Galen, do you promise to recuse yourself from any project or program which includes a group, association, or company which may have been a client of yours? MR. GALEN: Sure. As soon as you promise to recuse yourself from voting on any bill which may affect any group, association, or company which has donated to your campaign fund. THE RANKING DEMOCRAT: Mr. Chairman, I see that I have another important meeting, so I yield back the balance of my time. MR. GALEN: Thanks for stopping by, Senator. THE CHAIRMAN: Inasmuch as there are no other Senators in attendance, I will adjourn this hearing and, by unanimous consent, declare that your nomination be taken up by the full Senate. MR. GALEN: You mean you're APPROVING me? [LAUGHTER] My daughter Meggie, who loved your stories of the Double Stuffed Oreos in Iraq asked me to let you know she is trying to do her part. Copyright © 2006 Richard A. Galen Become a Paid Mullings Subscriber! (To join the FREE mailing list or to unsubscribe Click Here) 
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