Cornyn Not Ruling Out Filibuster Against Sotomayor
Appearing on ABC’s This Week, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) would not rule out a filibuster against the Sotomayor nomination. “I’m not willing to judge one way or the other, George [Stephanopoulos],” said Cornyn, “because frankly, we need to not prejudge, not pre-confirm, and to give Judge Sotomayor the fair hearing that Miguel Estrada, and, indeed, Clarence Thomas were denied by our friends on the other side of the aisle.”
Rove: Bush Appreciates Cheney’s “Forthright Defense”
Karl Rove told the Politico that former President George W. Bush — who has publicly said he won’t criticize President Obama — privately appreciates the role that former Vice President Dick Cheney has taken on. “I know President Bush and Vice President Cheney talk with regularity,” said Rove. “I know the former president appreciates Dick’s forthright defense of the administration’s polices. And I know Vice President Cheney understands the special role that the former president occupies.”
McConnell: “I’ve Got Better Things To Do Than Be The Speech Police”
Appearing on CNN’s State Of The Union, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) while it is “certainly not my view” that Sonia Sotomayor is a racist, he would not address such comments from Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich: “Look. I’ve got a big job to do dealing with 40 Senate Republicans and trying to advance the nation’s agenda, and better things to do than be the speech police over people who have their views about a very important appointment.”
Graham: Sotomayor Should Apologize, But I Don’t Think She’s Racist
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that Sonia Sotomayor should apologize for her “wise Latina” comments from 2001, though he also rejected the allegations from Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh that she is a racist. “But I do know this, that statement is not about talking abut her life experiences,” said Graham. “It’s getting from her life experiences a superiority based on those experiences versus somebody else in society. And I don’t want that kind of person being a judge in my case. But I don’t think she’s a racist.”
Sessions: I Wouldn’t Use Same Rhetoric As Gingrich And Limbaugh
Appearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-SC) was asked whether he agreed with Newt Ginrgich’s and Rush Limbaugh’s description of Sonia Sotomayor being a racist. “I don’t think I am going to use any such words as that,” he said. “I read her speech, I’m troubled by her speech, I think she has an opportunity to explain that.” Upon further questioning by David Gregory about whether conservatives should use such language, Sessions replied: “I would prefer that they not, but people have a free right to speak and say what they want, and make the analogies that they want.”
Feinstein: Calling Sotomayor Racist “Absolutely Terrible”
Appearing on CBS’ Face The Nation, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said that the use of the word “racist” against Sotomayor by the right is “an absolutely terrible thing to throw around.” She added: “This does not add any light to the debate, it only adds a kind of visceral and terrible heat.”
Leahy: Calling Sotomayor Racist Is “Baloney”
Appearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Patrick Leahy addressed right-wingers calling Sotomayor a racist. “I totally reject those kind of claims made by leaders of the Republican Party like Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh,” said Leahy. “To call her — to equate her with the head of the Ku Klux Klan, to call her a bigot, this is baloney. Nothing in her background would indicate that she is a bigot or equivalent of the Ku Klux Klan or anything else.”
Schumer: Sotomayor Will Stand By Entire 2001 Speech
Appearing on ABC’s This Week, Sen Chuck Schumer (D-NY) predicted that Sonia Sotomayor would not apologize for her 2001 speech. “I think she’ll stand by the entire speech,” said Schumer. “I think that she will show that the speech, when you read it, says rule of law comes above experience. And no one can ask for more than that.” Regarding the controversial “wise Latina” line, Schumer said: “you know, the specific sentence there is simply saying, that people’s experiences matter, and we ought to have some diversity of experience on the court. And I think that’s accurate.”
