September 15, 2005

Roberts loves "North by Northwest" — and his wife looks like Eva Marie Saint.

Prompted by a question from Senator Schumer, John Roberts let us know that two of his favorite movies were "Doctor Zhivago" and "North by Northwest." After he said that, it became strikingly clear to me how much his wife — Jane Sullivan Roberts — looks like Eva Marie Saint (not Julie Christie).

Yesterday, Jane Roberts wore a black suit, an interesting change from the pink suit worn on day one (when she was seated next to a woman in a green suit who was next to a woman in a blue suit, creating that row of Easter eggs look). What did it mean, going from pink to black?

Was she implicitly chiding the Senators? No more Mrs. Nice Wife. I'm pissed at you now for not giving my husband the respect he's going to get for the rest of his life once he gets done sitting through your demeaning ritual.

Or is she just trying to fade into the background and become invisible?

Or does she want us to look at her face, not her clothes? In black, she's becomes a pure face, floating just behind him, giving him dimension and feeling.

11 comments:

Troy said...

How does a girl like her get to be "a girl like her"?

Mark Daniels said...

No, Ann, she was chiding those who deemed her husband's "umpire" analogy insufficiently sensitive to those women who have no interest in sports! She was making a fashion statement by wearing attire that immediately evoked thoughts of umpires, who also wear black.

The only thing that struck me about Jane Roberts from yesterday's hearings is that she was extremely bored. She yawned a lot and even nodded off at least once. That's probably understandable.

Steven Taylor said...

I haven't been able to watch more than a few clips, so I cannot render an intelligent evaluation, still, I like No more Mrs. Nice Wife. I'm pissed at you now for not giving my husband the respect he's going to get for the rest of his life once he gets done sitting through your demeaning ritual.

...if anything because the whole process is properly referred to as both "demeaning" and "a ritual"--search for truth? I thinnk not. A serious evaluation of Roberts (or any nominee)? I scoff at the notion.

But, of course, I am kind of cranky this morning.

Steven Taylor said...

However, I will say, North by Northwest rocks.

Freeman Hunt said...

I feel sorry for her. How awfully boring to sit through all of that as a spectator. Not to mention being on camera the entire time. Like a sort of meditation test; can I manage to sit still all day long while looking passably interested and not allow myself to make any goofy faces which will, of course, be instantly plastered all over the news via Reuters and the AP?

jeff said...

Maybe it was the next thing in her closet that was clean and appropriate?

Or am I thinking too much like a guy?

Peter Hoh said...

So will this be the last we see of her? And by the way, we haven't heard her speak, have we? Will we?

Just as long as she doesn't go to work as a lobbyist, I'd like to see her, should she want to, find some way to do something other than host brunches for the outgoing clerks. Or maybe they don't get brunches.

Freeman Hunt said...

I'm a girl, and I'm thinking Jeff is right.

I wonder what she's thinking back there. I wonder if she thinks about all the things she'd rather be doing. For example, what if she is in the middle of reading a very good book? It would be extra annoying to spend all that time sitting there knowing that there was a book you'd really like to get back to.

John A said...

Perhaps it is funereal wear in respect for the deaths of several Senator's hopes for 2008 Presidential nominations?

Ron said...

Wouldn't it be great if they could open the hearings with the opening music from North by Northwest?

It would make good 'news show' opening music also...

Anna said...

I think Ann's comment fits best...no more Mrs. Nice Wife...

troy: wish I could give you an answer, but alas, I have never been "a girl like her"