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Henry the intern blogs the John Roberts confirmation hearing. Updated throughout the day. Earlier posts after the jump.
UPDATE 4:53PM

3:50 — Roberts to Feinstein: “I have always supported, and support today, equal rights for women.” Feinstein: “You speak about modesty and humility and yet none of [these memos] were modest or humble.”

3:54 — Feinstein grills Roberts on his view of Roe v. Wade and women’s rights.

4:06 — Onward to the “hapless toad” case, specifically in terms of environmental regulations.

4:11 — Feinstein asks if Roberts believes that the separation of church and state should be absolute? Roberts: “I don’t know what that means when you say absolute separation.”

4:14 — On end of life decisions, Roberts says, “It’s a free country and the right to be left alone is one of our basic rights.”

4:18 — Sessions steps up to the plate: “You have validated the president’s confidence in you.”

4:34 — Sessions drags on, attempts humor to compensate for killing time before unrelated Senate vote. Keyword: attempts.

4:38 — Writer of Fox News lower-thirds falls asleep; graphics rotate evergreen facts about the rules of the Judiciary Committee and information about Roberts.

4:49 — Sessions definitely knows how to filibuster.

4:50 — 7.5 hours of hearings today over and out.

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Henry the intern will be providing commentary on the John Roberts confirmation hearings throughout the day. The top entry is the most recent installment. All highlights in order after the jump.

UPDATE 3:48PM

3:01 — Nancy Grace’s show begins. “Let’s go right back in,” she says.

3:03 — Coburn: “I find it somewhat amusing that we can predict your life expectancy. . . I am a physician.” He breaks into tears: “My heart breaks for less divisiveness, less partisanship.”

3:10 — Lugar arrives to introduce Roberts. What is up –literally– with his eyebrows? He reads a brief biography of Roberts. “Simply put, John Roberts is a brilliant lawyer,” Lugar says. Roberts appears to be getting emotional.

3:18 — Warner: “I find this a singular privilege.”

3:20 –Warner recalls that he was taken by the “erect man” when he first spotted Roberts. It was love at first sight, indeed.

3:26 — Roberts finally speaks. He is smiling widely and displaying the strict composure of Condi Rice. His eyes beam as if reading an imaginary TelePrompTer. “I come before the committee with no agenda. I have no agenda,” he says. “But I do have a commitment [to] confront every case with an open mind.”

3:33 — Specter: “Thank you for that very profound statement. . . That concludes our hearing.”

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