Sotomayor Nomination Passes 68-31
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Democrats, Republicans, Supreme Court
I don’t think there was any question she’d become a Justice, but I think it is surprising that more Republicans didn’t vote for. Especially John McCain.
From NY Times comes some of the reasons why…
“Judge Sotomayor is certainly a fine person with an impressive story and a distinguished background,†the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, said this week. “But a judge must be able to check his or her personal or political agenda at the courtroom door and do justice evenhandedly, as the judicial oath requires. This is the most fundamental test. It is a test that Judge Sotomayor does not pass.†[...]Before announcing his opposition to her nomination, Senator John McCain of Arizona, last year’s Republican presidential nominee who has been sympathetic to calls by Latinos and others for reforming the nation’s immigration laws, first described her as an “immensely qualified candidate†with an “inspiring and compelling†life story. And he dwelled on his support for Miguel Estrada, an appeals-court nominee of President George W. Bush whom Democrats blocked from a vote even though “millions of Latinos would have taken great pride in his confirmation,†Mr. McCain said.
Many other Republicans echoed Mr. McCain’s approach in explaining their votes. On Thursday, for example, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, spoke at length about the “unfair and disgraceful†treatment of Mr. Estrada, while criticizing Judge Sotomayor’s record. “I wish President Obama had chosen a Hispanic nominee whom all senators could support,†Mr. Hatch said.
In the end I think Sotomayor will be a lot less liberal than many Dems would like and that all of this talk about her focus on race will be be forgotten when she’s anything but racially motivated.
We shall see…
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This entry was posted on Thursday, August 6th, 2009 and is filed under Democrats, Republicans, Supreme Court. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 6th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
John McCain justifies my Obama vote more every day.
August 6th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Donklephant » Sotomayor Nomination Passes 68-31…
Trackback from PunditKix.com…
August 6th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
I think Sotamayor will be a rock-solid reliable vote for the liberal scotus block. What democrats want is for Sotamayor not to vote with Roberts and Scalia on issues where there’s a 5-4 or 6-3 type split. And you can pretty much bet the house that she won’t.
Of course some democrats hope Sotamayor will vote on mere whim in accordance with their party policy. And that won’t happen. Because she’s a judge, which means she can and must have principles in way that most politicians simply don’t. But that doesn’t mean she won’t be an extremely reliable liberal vote on the bench. Anyone who claims otherwise is just blowing smoke.
August 6th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
[...] Gardner of Donklephant predicts we Liberals will be highly disappointed when Justice Sotomayor proves herself to be “not as liberal” as we’d hoped in the end (I predict Justin is correct, by the way); Lively conversation persists at Drudge Retort of course, [...]
August 6th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Yeah, because judges–especially scotus judges–never vote on a whim or from political preference like pulling the equal protection clause out of their back pockets in Bush vs Gore after repeatedly dismissing “equal protection” claims except in extreme cases of racial discrimination.
…I have no idea what point I am trying to make….
August 6th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Given whom she’s replacing, it’s not as if you’ll be able to tell much difference UNLESS she votes more towards the middle.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Yup, look for lots of votes strictly on whether the parties involved belong to her ethnic group. Just like in Rizzo, where she voted . . . against the Hispanic firefighters. Hmmm, never mind . . . .
August 7th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
So in response to one ““unfair and disgraceful†act we will respond in kind (well not exactly since they couldn’t filibuster but close enough). At least we don’t have to wonder much why politics is the way it is.
August 7th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I’m good with that. Judicial picks are the only thing that has not disappointed me about our president. He has proven not to be the responsible fiscal centrist he pretended to be during the campaign, instead showing himself as the biggest spend, borrow, and tax liberal in the history of the know universe. He has also moved to solidify and institutionalize the Bush/Cheney Unitary Executive power grab, contrary to his campaign representations to the left. With a lapdog congress, the only restraint on the executive is now the Supreme Court. A more balanced liberal SCOTUS is the only protection we have left. As has been said before – My only hope is that he picks judges who will rule his executive over-reach unconstitutional.
Also. if Obama gets another pick or two on Supes, the whole abortion question becomes moot on the federal election level. Dems have used abortion as a wedge fear issue to keep centrists in their camp. With a liberal slant on the Supreme Court, the risk of Republican judicial picks are mitigated. Centrists can come home to their fiscal conservative roots.