Earlier today, Traditional Values Coalition, Concerned Women for America, the Judicial Crisis Network, and Students for Life of America held a joint press conference to announce their opposition to Elena Kagan’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
The only problem was, as the CQ-Roll Call blog Congress.org explained, that the groups held their conference outside the Supreme Court, where reporters were awaiting today’s rulings, rather than where the reporters covering it were actually stationed:
Activists against Elena Kagan gathered on Capitol Hill Monday but outside the wrong building.
An hour before the Supreme Court nominee faced questions from senators, the leaders of four conservative groups stood outside the high court in protest.
"We’re calling on the senate today," Andrea Lafferty of the Traditional Values Coalition began. "They are going to be accountable for the questions they ask or don’t ask."
One problem: The backdrop Lafferty and the others chose was the court, not the Capitol. The court reporters who were around focused on a competing press conference about the morning’s court rulings .
Most of the cameras focused on Lafferty’s group were those of tourists — not the press.
"Why are they protesting here?" one passerby asked a friend. "She’s not on the court yet. She doesn’t work here."
Had the reps from the Judicial Crisis Network, Students for Life, and Concerned Women for America stood outside the Hart Building, they would have had better luck getting attention from reporters actually covering Kagan.
I guess I should also point out that TVC is considered an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, so you have to question the judgment of CWA and JCN for partnering with them for this event.