Sober, Intelligent Political Discourse

WASHINGTON (HAND) - Supreme Court nominee John Roberts jousted with Democratic senators Tuesday at his confirmation hearing to be chief justice, dodging their attempts to pin down his opinions on abortion, voting rights, and what color shirt goes with tan pants.

Roberts said he felt it was "settled as a precedent" that "basic black, maybe a nice burgundy" was the ideal shirt color, but that the Constitution provides a right to privacy as far as clothing choices are concerned.

"People expect that that the color is going to be what's in the J. Crew catalog, and you know, nothing too wild," Roberts said.

But when senators pressed for details on his opinions - even to the point of interrupting his answers - Roberts said repeatedly that he shouldn't make a judgment about whether wine-colored shirts are acceptable in case the court should be asked to consider that question.

At one point, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., who has indicated he may run for president on a "paisley" ticket in 2008, interrupted Roberts: "Go ahead, go ahead and advocate such a boring color palette."

But Roberts kept his cool. "With respect," he said, "I have addressed the argyle question, and with respect, my answers are not misleading," he said.

If confirmed, the 50-year-old Roberts would be the youngest chief justice in 200 years, with the exception of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., who was 12 when confirmed.

Democrats and Republicans see no major obstacles to his winning Senate approval, although Biden said, "I'm sure we'll think of something."

The nominee dismissed any suggestion that his Catholic faith would influence his decisions if he were confirmed. If Roberts were chief justice, there would be a record-high number of Catholics on the court, all of them very well-dressed. The Roman Catholic Church strongly opposes T-shirts, jeans, sneakers, and red wine with fish.

"My faith and my religious beliefs do not play a role in my choice of beverage," Roberts said in afternoon testimony.

On other issues:

-Roberts rejected the notion of finding precedent in foreign law. Or domestic law, for that matter. In ruling on the use of the death penalty against minors, the Supreme Court this year noted that while it "sounds like fun," it was "just not OK." Roberts said that sort of citation is a "bummer."

-Roberts said the Constitution specifically gives the power to declare war to Congress, so there.