Meet Mr. Humble

You can't deny that soon-to-be Chief Justice Roberts is playing the humble game quite well. Today's Slate article by Dahlia Lithwick makes a great point of the way Roberts is politically making himself beneath everyone else. When Senators Biden and Kennedy grill him, it makes him look even more humble and loveable. (This is despite the fact that you can't get a picture of him not looking funny.) Lithwick says, "John Roberts isn't just book-smart. He's people-smart. His game plan was unfurled within seconds of his nomination: He was going to be Humble Guy. As Bruce Reed notes today, it’s sticking. He used the word 'humble' three times yesterday in his very brief opening remarks. Used 'modest,' too. And the brilliant thing about claiming to be humble is just this: No one gets to say, 'You're not humble!' It only makes Roberts look humbler. He's a tactical genius." She is also taking bets on how many times during the conformation hearing he will use the words "humble" or "modest." He's playing it quite well and will definitely work out well for him. I assume he is a humble guy, but using it for career gain will get him where he wants to be.