Sotomayor In: You Heard it Here First
EmailYou heard it here and here first.
It’s nice to nail one. Back in March, I said that it would be Sotomayor. 1-10 odds.
Today we learn that indeed, Sotomayor is it.
Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic Justice on the Supreme Court bench.
She was appointed to the federal bench by George H.W. Bush. Elevated to the Appeals Court by Bill Clinton. She’s a protégé of Daniel Patrick Moynihan and a prosecutor with Robert Morgenthau and a graduate of Princeton and Yale after growing up in the South Bronx.
You could see the president moved by her life’s story as he was telling it up there on the podium today.
The president’s pitch for Sotomayor is all about experience. He pointed out today that she would be the only justice on the bench who has experience as a trial judge. But he put even more emphasis on what he called the wisdom of an inspiring life’s journey.
Whether it’s the death of her father, to an early Diabetes diagnosis, or coming out of the projects in the South Bronx — clearly he believes that will give her a unique perspective on the Supreme Court.
Now she must be confirmed by the Senate. Some challenges — she’s had four opinions that she has written on the appeals court that have been overturned by the Supreme Court.
She’s likely to have another one overturned as the Supreme Court considers the case of a New Haven firefighter. She’s likely to face criticism for her ruling on that, as well as questions about her manner and temperament.
But one of the things the White House is counting on is the fact she was first appointed to the bench by George H.W. Bush and when she was nominated to the appeals court, five Republican senators voted for her.
–George Stephanopoulos
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Obama knows he’ll be getting another pick, so he’s throwing out an easy pick now – not conservative (despite her appointment by Bush Sr), but not liberal enough to excite opposition beyond the Rush Limbaugh wing. The real test will come on the next appointment, when a solid liberal justice is expected to retire.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 26, 2009, 9:11 am 9:11 am
George
If Judge Sotomayor’s parents “emigrated” from Puerto Rico what froeign embassy did they cime through. The last time I looked Puerto Rico is part of the United States. Just as you do not emigrate from Hawaii or Washington DC you do not emigrate from Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands.
Posted by: Justina Serlin | May 26, 2009, 10:32 am 10:32 am
Great pick
Posted by: shyril | May 26, 2009, 11:09 am 11:09 am
Judge Sotomayor is a smart pic; if the GOP object, they again look like racist and loose more votes and dig their grave just a little deeper. But more importantly, we get the best of all worlds, a balance for women, a balance for Hispanics, an advocate for the common inner city American and a brilliant & fair mind.
Posted by: John | May 26, 2009, 11:14 am 11:14 am
I believe Justice Cardozo was actually the first Hispanic justice.
Posted by: Kay | May 26, 2009, 11:24 am 11:24 am
Cardozo was from Portugal which doesn’t speak Spanish, therefore Hispania the Roman empire’s word for Spain, so he is not “Hispanic” and he was also of Jewish decent.
Posted by: Chris | May 26, 2009, 11:28 am 11:28 am
She is a centrist and, earlier, was appointed by Bush I to the U.S. District Court. Excuse me while I yawn from boredom.
No change. Less hope every day. Nothing new. The democrats should start planning to lose the next election.
Posted by: jan | May 26, 2009, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
These comments are funny. I recommend people research her record.
Posted by: nubiangent08 | May 26, 2009, 1:05 pm 1:05 pm
Yes, she was another great choice for the federal bench by that brilliant selector of judges, George H.W. Bush. How ironic it will be that if she’s confirmed, she’ll replace another “great choice” for the Supreme Court by Bush 41: David Souter. Yup, he sure can pick ‘em…
Posted by: This_End_Up | May 26, 2009, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
It doesn’t seem that hard for George to get this right, since he meets with Rahm Emanuel and James Carvile every morning. Geeze I’d be surprised if he didn’t know everything that happens in the Obama administration before it’s anounced. Can you imagine Carl Rove working for ABC while Bush was in office?! Only in the liberal MSM!
Posted by: freemort | May 26, 2009, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
Half you Republicans are saying this is no change as Bush liked her anyway. The other half are portraying her as a dangerous radical. Republicans get funnier the longer they are out of power.
Posted by: Ralph N | May 26, 2009, 8:24 pm 8:24 pm
From everything I have read about Ms. Sotomayor and her exceptional academic accomplishments, she will make a fine addition to the Supreme Court. Once again, president Obama has demonstrated his trademark good judgment, calm, calculated intelligence and fair-minded inclusiveness. Way to go Mr. President and welcome Ms. Sotomayor.
Posted by: V. Brame | May 26, 2009, 8:43 pm 8:43 pm
If a Bush first put her on the bench, I don’t trust her.
Posted by: OldUncleDave | May 26, 2009, 8:43 pm 8:43 pm
We’re all supposed to be full of admiration and awe about Obama’s move to block the republican party from appealing to and capturing the hispanic vote, as if we couldn’t see that one a mile away after all Bush II’s posturing and attempts to win them over? (rolling my eyes)
So goes the game for elites in D.C. and the rest of us? Well, it’s not like we have a voice other than election time (hmmm, electronic vote?) or like any of the elite D.C. gang, republican or democrat, care about us anyway. Right? Right.
Posted by: jan | May 26, 2009, 9:41 pm 9:41 pm
This is not a surprising pick for Obama — and whoever said she is centrist needs to look at her record again. Sadly, if she is the “empathetic” candidate for this position, expect her to make excuses for some groups because of the hardships they have endured that she can relate to, regardless of the actual merits of the case. Has anyone looked into the New Haven firefighter lawsuit yet? Wait for it…
Posted by: MammaSue | May 26, 2009, 10:21 pm 10:21 pm
Let’s see… Sotomayor is a woman, Hispanic but,… is she gay? If she is not gay, this is discrimination against gays!
Posted by: Mihann | May 27, 2009, 12:44 am 12:44 am
ANY choice of socialist Obama’s for the Supreme Court stands for the Godless destruction of unborn babies and should be stopped!
Posted by: Mihann | May 27, 2009, 8:59 am 8:59 am
George, George, George….your article is so pathetic. It’s not like you call the white house everday for gosh neds! Of course you knew for months! Duh! Sotomayor is going to be the next Supreme Ct. justice..she shouldn’t be, but she will. Another lefty who doesn’t consider the Constitution as the basis for making decisions in court cases. Just like the left, they believe since they can’t make law on liberal issues, they revert to the courts to make it so. And last, it was Teddy Roosevelt who nominated the first Hispanic. I noticed that the MSM never gave George W. Bush any credit when he nominated many Hispanics on the lower courts and often, the democrats vetoed them! But who’s looking for truth? Liberals make up their own facts. And isn’t Puerto Rico part of the U.S.? These libs kill me.
Posted by: justrighttoo | May 27, 2009, 9:06 am 9:06 am
This is about as sad/lame as a national political party in our great country has ever gotten!
To have an “entertainer” (and I use the term generously) produce your parties response, in any way shape or form is really sad.
Even sadder still, is that the (remaining) legions within the GOP follow this idiot willingly.
Really, really sad!
Posted by: Darryl the Contractor | May 27, 2009, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
Darryl,
Only you, the media and the Democratic Party thinks Rush L. ‘controls’ the Republican Party.
His audience is but a fraction of the Party, and plenty of his follwers have no party affiliate.
You’ve bought the WH line hook, line and sinker.
Posted by: J House | May 27, 2009, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
Sorry George-Picking an Hispanic for the Supreme Court prior to launching a sweepin Amnesty Bill has all the appearance of fixing the deck. At risk here is the fate of 13 to 20 million hispanics that are in the Country “Illegally” and a major shift in the minority clout of the Hispanic Community as a political power in the U.S. The fact that President Obama wants to change the law rather than enforce the Law does not make him a strong President or the Nation a stronger Nation, it may well be the final straw that brings us down from a Major power to a Nation without the resources to be a major player in world politics. North Korea is already showing their disdain for the U.S., Iran has invited the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan to confer about our occupying forces and Venezuela and Ecuador are giving enriched uranium to Iran in an effort to bring the U.S. to its knees. We seem to be doing a great job in cooperating with this desire!
Posted by: Dave of Detroit | May 27, 2009, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
Wow. The first Hispanic and a diabetic ,a female, a female raised by a single Mom (gasp). Does she also have a clubbed foot? I guess being native American isn’t exotic enough so we won’t hold our breath for that first native american pick.
Did you hear of the guy who is 29 and claims 21 kids from 9 different women? Now theres a story!!!
Posted by: big wampum | May 28, 2009, 7:43 am 7:43 am
George,
Couyld you generally ask the panel in your roundtable discussion this week-
“If your house was on fire and your family was inside, who would you rather have come to your house- a team of the most competent firefighters,or, one that is most ethnically diverse?”
Posted by: J House | May 28, 2009, 9:29 am 9:29 am
The comments are funny. Sotomayor is far from moderate or centrist.
I wonder why no one, including the commentators on This Week haven’t mentioned Obama utilizing Affirmative Action to pick a Supreme Court Justice!? He summarily discounted all male contenders, regardless of their ethnicity (in Human Resource Management this is the definition of AA).
While I applaud a diverse landscape, politics s/b set aside and the good of the country s/b front and center when selecting a Supreme Court Justice.
Selection of the ‘highest’ qualified ‘individual’, not the highest qualified man, woman, black, hispanic, muslim, christian, etc. s/b the order of the day!
Obviously, when you summarily dismiss one group, you have NOT done the best for the country!
Given the longevity of the position (lifetime), the influence the court has on the direction of the country, I’m disappointed in the Presidents decision to dismiss all males (much like Sotomayor dismissed ‘white’ males in the case she decided currently before the Supreme Court which is expected to be overturned…) This choice doesn’t seem to be reasonable given she seems at odds with the Supreme Court in decisions, since 4 decisions elevated to the Supreme Court of hers have been overturned…. does this really show she’s in tune with the court or the law of the land?
The nomination seems 100% politically motivated, given Obama’s own advisors suggested against it, but the President seems to be utilizing the political hot buttons of Sotomayor being a ‘woman’, a ‘hispanic’, a Bush appointee as means to “shove her” threw the process, rather than picking the best of the best for the country.
Posted by: Bob in Phoenix | May 28, 2009, 10:41 am 10:41 am
She’s a centrist ? She is not a centrist. She is a member of NCLR (La Raza – The race), that is a hispanic racist organization. However, keep in mind congress is not centrist, therefore they will probably confirm her appointment. Thanks to Obama, judgments will be based on what races are involved, not what the law says.
Posted by: Paul | May 28, 2009, 11:52 am 11:52 am
I think it’s hilarious how people focus on one case out of the myriad of cases she has settled and decide that she is not a centrist. She ruled in favor of Bush’s international anti-abortion policies, gun rights being a state issue rather than a federal issue, and argued that the NY cop who sent out racist messages was protected under the first amendment. If you’re going to look at her case on affirmative action and call her a liberal activist while disregarding all her other cases, bias is definitely clouding your judgment and you need to take a step back and think about it.
Posted by: Politicsfanatic88 | May 28, 2009, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
To promote diversity and make the right rulings in the highest court, a person has to be completely color and gender insensitive. A lot of successful people have started at the bottom and overcome many obstacles to succeed. What stands out is that she based her legal opinion solely on the firefighter’s skin color not their accomplishments on passing the exam to obtain a raise. How can she be recommended on her accomplishments and skin color when she won’t give other’s commendations for their accomplishments solely based on race and gender.
Posted by: anony | May 28, 2009, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
She is the worst possible option for this job. She is not qualified. Her appeals court decisions have the most reprimands, over turns and over rulings than any other appeals court judge. What a mistake.
Posted by: anyone.listening | May 29, 2009, 12:34 am 12:34 am
Sotomayer is one step in Obama’s agenda to open the floodgates of immigration. And not just ANY immigration. He wants to open the floodgates to illegal immigration of hispanics. Sotomayer is the perfect fit because she already has proven herself to disregard the rule of law and the US Constitution. The stage is being set for an immigration case that requires an appeal to the Supreme court. So, for his purposes, he could not have selected a better candidate. She is unfortunately for this country one of the worst candidates that could have been chosen.
Posted by: Duvanie | May 29, 2009, 10:03 am 10:03 am
The press is our chief ideological weapon.
Nikita Khrushchev
Posted by: Leon T | May 29, 2009, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
George, Please ask why Chuck U. Schemer wants Republicans to lay down for Sotomayor when he held up Alito and Roberts nomination for almost 70 days of inquiry. Both are considered exceptional jurist and given the highest marks by the ABA. Also, was Chuck U. against Clarence Thomas because of his race or because of his opinions, remarks, temperment, speeches, or policy statements. Why can’t republicans inquire about the latter without him considering them racists, sexists, or some other label?
Posted by: Barry O'Carter ll | May 29, 2009, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
Sotomayor’s rulings would actually please most conservatives, I think.
Posted by: kat | May 29, 2009, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
On one hand your right, she might make judgments that might please conservatives, especially when it comes to abortion. On the other hand, her past comments regarding white men would not qualify her for jury duty.
Posted by: Paul | May 30, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
After some due diligence on my part and listening to Judge Sotomayor, I do not feel she can be an objective judge in the highest court of our land. The judges who make up the nine justices MUST be totally objective and go by the Rule of Law and our Constitution. There is no room for emotion here. That is misplaced if Sotomayor commits to doing that. Race, creed, gender, color and religious orientation have no place in making such important decisions in our country. It has not been done in the past for others and should not be an issue in decisions now or in the future.
Posted by: Diane Nagy | May 30, 2009, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
George I am so angry at what I have seen and heard about “race” on the air waves when they talk about Sotomayor.
I used to be a Republican, and now a Libertarian–nobody claims to be a Republican any more. When I hear the hatefulness from Limbaugh, Gordon Liddy, Glen Beck and yes, Pat Buchanan saying that ‘Obama hates whites,’ it makes me sick. (The ugly part of the south has rose again.) I even see the lies repeated in some of these posts. This is going to lead to violence … mark my words.
I can’t believe that my ex-fellow republicans are standing there and saying nothing. Nothing!
My son, another Republican, will not even discuss it because he is so upset. I doubt he will stay with the party.
That’s what your show should be talking about. The blow-hards who get away with their hate speech…and not a single person will say a word that America is not like that People are sneaking away and re-registering as an Independent or a Libertarian. Silence is destroying the party — violence will boil up if no one says anything.
An ashamed ex-marine
Posted by: Dink Lane | May 30, 2009, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
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