[But thorough as it may appear on television, is this week's confirmation hearing just another dose of American political theatre? Certainly, the potential chief justice hasn't been shy about ducking and dodging, refusing to comment on or pre-judge any issue that could come before the court. For example, in response to Sen. Kennedy's charge that his views on civil rights legislation were] narrow and cramped and perhaps even mean spirited, ... I don't want to express any conclusions on hypothetical questions, whether as applied in a particular case, where there would be a challenge ... Those cases come up all the time and I do need to avoid expressing an opinion on those issues. John Roberts