Confirmation Page #12

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except that the whole process

has been distasteful.

Hey.

Who'd you believe, him or her?

Her.

(REPORTERS CLAMORING)

The chair will remind the galleries

that expressions of approval

or disapproval are prohibited.

The question is on the confirmation of the

nomination of Clarence Thomas of Georgia

to be an Associate Justice

of the United States Supreme Court.

The clerk will call the roll.

- MAN:
Mr. Adams.

- ADAMS:
No.

- MAN:
Mr. Akaka.

- No.

- MAN:
Mr. Baucus.

- BAUCUS:
No.

- MAN:
Mr. Bentsen.

- BENTSEN:
No.

- MAN:
Mr. Biden.

- JOE:
No.

- MAN:
Mr. Bingaman.

- BINGAMAN:
No.

- MAN:
Mr. Bond.

- BOND:
Aye.

Hey.

Welcome home.

Thank you.

Is this all...

For you? Yup.

All of it.

What's it say?

"Dear Professor Hill,

"For 25 years, I've been a cashier.

"All that time, my boss has treated me

like his personal property.

"I never said anything,

not even to my husband.

"It's been really scary and lonely,

"but watching you this week felt like

I was watching someone standing up for me.

"So thank you.

"Sincerely, Elisa Nelson."

SHIRLEY:
Wow.

(CRYING)

- MAN:
Mr. Wellstone.

- No.

- MAN:
Mr. Wirth.

- WIRTH:
No.

- MAN:
Mr. Wofford.

- WOFFORD:
No.

The yeas are 52, and the nays are 48.

The nomination of

Clarence Thomas of Georgia

to be Associate Justice

of the United States Supreme Court

is hereby confirmed.

Clarence.

It's good news.

WOMAN:
It was not too long ago

that a colleague of mine

complimented me on my appearance

and then said that he was going to

chase me around the House floor.

MALE REPORTER:
The last time the federal

government polled all its workers,

42% of the women reported

they had been recently sexually harassed.

So, Hal, tell us what happens now.

Well, what happens now is we've got

a political issue for the 1992 campaign.

Two percent may be good for milk,

but it ain't good

for the United State Senate.

FEMALE REPORTER:
What's different this

year is the record number of women

running and winning up and down the ticket.

One factor there and elsewhere is backlash

over the Senate's treatment of Anita Hill.

A woman's voice does not count

in America today.

I have not been sexually harassed,

but I have been very obviously

discriminated against.

Happened something like 20 years ago.

- But you're aware that women also...

- Wait. Wait, Sam!

I remember every word of it.

If we stay mad about

Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill,

we'll never remember our lines.

Oh... Please.

Sir, would you please state your name?

Long Dong Silver.

The rules of the old boys' club

that prevailed in this hearing

are simply not going to work anymore.

MALE REPORTER:
The Senate

Judiciary Committee is getting diversity,

Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois

and California's Dianne Feinstein

have been assigned to the panel.

Women for the first time

in my lifetime have said

we are players in this society,

and we intend to stay that way.

On Thursday, President Bush signed

a long-awaited civil rights bill.

MALE REPORTER:
...which will make it much

easier for women and minorities

to sue for discrimination...

...and harassment on the job.

MAN:
It does not have to be

a physical touch or a specific threat.

Companies now produce videos explaining

it can be any unwanted sexual advances.

A bill to combat violence against women

was introduced in the US Senate.

You should have the civil rights protection

as well as the criminal laws protection.

This has become a national teacher

on the issue of sexual harassment.

I just think that you're getting caught up

in the politics of it

when what you're forgetting is that

there's a human being, a woman involved.

- There's a man, too.

- MAN:
Okay.

That'd be Clarence Thomas.

His is the name that's been made mud of.

There's clearly a brass-knuckles,

totally unfair process

of brutalizing Presidential appointees.

How much of an exploration

of not only Supreme Court candidates but

all candidates for public office do you want?

Do you have anything further to say about it?

Senator, my reaction to this has been...

Over the last two weeks,

has been one of horror.

I can't tell you what I've lived through.

I think I did the right thing.

I think I did what was proper and correct

in this situation.

(CAMERAS CLICKING)

- Rasputin.

- Rasputin.

Rasputin.

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)

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