Comments on: Sotomayor Asked About ‘Temperament’. Sexist Question?

By: Teri

Teri — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:54:30 +0000

Sotomayor is a moderate to conservative judge who was appointed by Republican George H.W. Bush. She wrote three opinions favoring anti-abortion protesters and anti-abortion policies. When Sotomayor made the “wise Latina” comment, she was specifically discussing the importance of judicial diversity in deciding “race and sex discrimination cases. There has been no bias in her judicial record. In 96 cases alleging racial discrimination, Sotomayor and the panel rejected the claim of racial discrimination roughly 78 times. In 80 percent of immigration cases she rejected the immigrants’ applications.
Sotomayor also was tougher on convicted criminals than her colleagues during her six years as a federal district judge, sending more convicts to prison and handing out longer sentences than her colleagues. In the Ricci firefighter case, Sotomayor simply followed existing law; the Supreme Court in overturning that decision created new precedent (which is fine for the Supreme Court to do, but it is not the job of a lower court; Sotomayor rightly followed precedent in this case.) It will be interesting to see how Republicans vote; a straight party line vote here is likely to send a strong message to Hispanic and women voters.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:36:30 +0000

First of all Judy, if you don’t see the difference between a senator and a Supreme Court justice you need to go back to school. Senators can get the boot in 6 years if the act improperly. Secondly, show me a Senator today who belongs to a “club” that discriminates against anyone. Stop living in the past. The guy who questions a senator posing law questions to a judge… What senator is equal to an expert in any field? They’re not… but they have a staff who is qualified to investigate and present the senator with questions.

By: Jane Hall

Jane Hall — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:12:19 +0000

“temperament” seems generic to me. I’ve had both male and female bosses with temperament problems, and I’ve seen both sexes have “melt downs”. Looking for something that isn’t there, people!

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:54:19 +0000

Judge Sotomayor is neither racist nor temperamental. And, I do agree with her that you would think that a person from one ethnic roup would make a better decision than a person who has not experienced the same problems.
That remark does not make a person a racist the Republicans saw an opportunity to take advantage of the wording and to play sound bites from it. Just like we can’t possible know what it is like to be a politican unless we have made an attempt to run for public office or has held public office.
I am so sick and tire of the politicalization of everthing that is said or done. I don’t know what it is like to be a Puerto Rican, but neither do I know what it is like to be a Cacusian either.
Enough already everyone is not a racist because they say something that someone else disagrees with it.
Get over yourselves, and move on there are so many more real issues that we need to work on, e.g., like ending these two wars, the economy, etc.

By: MOM

MOM — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:01:09 +0000

Since the beginning of this country, we have had 111 Supreme Court Justices. Of these, 2 have been African-American men and 2 have been women. So, tell me again what you point is, sweetie, when you don’t understand that there are many men in power who, for no fault of their own, don’t realize when they are patronizing? 111-2-2. You don’t have to be a statistican to recognize a non-random distribution.

By: mwester

mwester — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:22:48 +0000

This whole article is a stretch by any standard. Trying to make this question and the meltdown comment into something sexist is absurd. Typical leftism.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:01:25 +0000

Who wrote this indefensible drivel? I see there is no byline! Whoever it is, they are desperately trying to reinforce their absolutely firm conviction that all Republicans MUST be racists/sexists/whateverists by manufacturing up some controversy out of thin air.
What an preposterous stretch to take a “temperament problem” comment and try to call it “sexist”! This is from the same liberal crowd that was all over McCain for his “temperament problem” – AND the same crowd that gives Sotomayor a complete pass on her “wise Latina” comment.

By: Igor

Igor — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:50:38 +0000

Some of these postings are just as much as farce as some of the questions from the likes of people such as Gramm and Sessions. As if Scalia hasn’t a reputation for being cranky and temperamental. As if Rhenquist hadn’t the same. History indicates a bunch of Justices who were irascible and often “temperamental.” What a joke. If an intellectual lightweight with the baggage of Clarence Thomas is on the Supreme Court, then this lady’s endorsement is a done deal.

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:23:58 +0000

What’s all the boo-hooing about? She’s called temperamental? So what. Male judges perceived as bullies on the bench get called much worse. And ‘meltdown’ has passed on from defining a tantrum to a definition that is more in line with its original meaning – a situation that goes horribly wrong very quickly, leaving a mess no one wants to deal with. To be honest, I’ve never heard of ‘meltdown’ being applied to a woman.

By: leftyintexas

leftyintexas — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:06:02 +0000

Yeah Steve,…”the left wing media”. Those who don’t report the news that you like… those are the “left wing media”. And who do you think reports the news the way you like to hear it? I have a pretty good idea but I won’t mention it.