Recently, Justice Alito sat down with Kyle Peterson of the Wall Street Journal for an extended chat about his new book.
asserted
Alito → sit → book
There is much to commend here, but I'd like to focus in particular about how Justice Alito responded to claims by Joan Biskupic of CNN.
uncertain
Alito → be → CNN
Kyle asks:
Well, I don't know how much coverage of the court you read, but you may not be surprised to learn that one light motif is that you are brooding figure.
uncertain
you → ask → court
Um here's a a passage from a book by Joan Biskupic of CNN: you wear a heavy cloak of grievance as if perpetually wronged, destined to be misunderstood.
asserted
you → wear → grievance
Biskupic has made similar comments in the past.
asserted
Biskupic → make → past
In December 2025, she published a column titled "Samuel Alito keeps getting his way.
asserted
Alito → publish → way
So why does he seem so unhappy?"
asserted
he → seem → ?
Without any actual evidence beyond staring at the Justice in Court, Biskupic wrote:
Alito's aggravation is regularly on display in the courtroom, too.
asserted
aggravation → star → courtroom
In the courtroom, even the little things can visibly irk Alito.
asserted
things → irk → Alito
He often grimaces and rolls his eyes. . . .
Other justices laughed.
asserted
justices → grimace → eyes
They appear accustomed to his unguarded irritability.
asserted
They → appear → irritability
At the time, I remarked how empty this commentary was:
The media does not fairly cover the conservative Supreme Court justices.
asserted
media → remark → justices
But it is not enough to criticize their written opinions.
asserted
it → criticize → opinions
Rather, pundits feel compelled to opine on how the Justices feel.
asserted
Justices → compel → ?
Case in point is a recent headline from Joan Biskupic, titled "Samuel Alito keeps getting his way.
asserted
Alito → title → way
So why does he seem so unhappy?"
asserted
he → seem → ?
Does Biskupic have any evidence that Alito is unhappy?
asserted
Alito → have → evidence
Did she talk to the Justice or his clerks?
asserted
she → talk → Justice
No, Biskupic apparently no longer has access to that sort of actual information.
asserted
Biskupic → have → information
Instead, she based her conclusions on the Justice's facial expression on the bench.
asserted
she → base → bench
Now, Justice Alito has fired back:
asserted
Alito → fire → ?
I think that's very unfair, and it is part of a process of caricaturing the justices with whom the people who are writing these things disagree.
asserted
who → think → things
Nothing similar is written about some of my colleagues who have issued blistering dissents, blistering dissenting statements from the bench, made what can only be described as very angry comments during oral argument.
asserted
what → write → argument
None of that is written about any of them, but this is written about me.
asserted
this → write → me
Now, what do court watchers, so to speak, see of me?
asserted
watchers → speak → me
They see me at oral argument, and that's basically it.
asserted
that → see → argument
It's supposed to help us make good decisions.
asserted
us → suppose → decisions
And so I challenged the lawyers.
asserted
I → challenge → lawyers
I argued a lot of cases.
asserted
I → argue → cases
I expected to be challenged.
asserted
I → expect → ?
I actually welcomed it because I thought that I could, by responding to the challenges, I could win over a justice or a judge who came into the argument perhaps disposed to rule against me.
uncertain
who → welcome → me
But I don't treat oral argument like a moot court.
asserted
I → treat → court
I don't treat it like show.
asserted
I → treat → show
I don't play to the audience.
asserted
I → play → audience
I don't try to get laughs.
asserted
I → try → laughs
I don't try to show how smart I am.
asserted
I → try → ?
It's pretty businesslike, and perhaps that's what they're referring to.
asserted
they → refer → what
You will not see some sort of brooding, grumpy old man.
asserted
You → see → man
He just doesn't waste his time talking to elites who hate him.
asserted
who → waste → him
Biskupic will never criticize the demeanor of Justice Ginsburg on the bench.
asserted
Biskupic → criticize → bench
…and 27 more, not listed.
The Aporia
