‘Top Line’: Obama’s ‘Masterstroke’ — How Hard Will GOP Push Against Sotomayor?
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein reports: With conservative voices and interest groups putting together an immediate message frame that seeks to portray Judge Sonia Sotomayor as an “activist” liberal, Republican senators will face a quick choice in the coming confirmation battle: How hard, and how far, to push their case opposing her.
On ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” today, Republican strategist Phil Musser talked about the political difficulties of opposing someone with Sotomayor’s background. “I think this is a bold and fairly masterful political stroke by President Obama,” Musser told us. “This is not a pick that necessarily can be good politics for Republican senators. I mean, having older white senators up there grilling the first Hispanic – up-from-the-boot-straps, Hispanic Supreme Court nominee — that’s a tough one for us okay, let’s just be honest about that.”
Given that, Musser said, the best GOP strategy is to hold back a bit and see what comes out about Sotomayor’s record on the federal bench. “To answer your specific question, time unearths a lot of different things. No research has really been done on Sotomayor’s record.” With conservative groups gearing up for a battle, “Whether those kind of labels will work and the level of volume of the confrontation will be likely predicated on what comes out of the vetting and research process in the next couple weeks. But good start for Obama today.” “Sotomayor probably goes to the court,” Musser added. “She’s not, clearly, the[Elena] Kagan pick that would have really inflamed the passion on the left. . . . The bottom line with this one is that Republicans will . . . have the chance to look at this nomination over the next little bit. But my gut is that she’s probably on a good launch path.” Click HERE to see the interview with Phil Musser. Also on today’s program, we spoke with Doug Kendall, president of the Constitutional Accountability Center, about the president’s choice for the Supreme Court. “She is someone who can do what Barack Obama did to a lot of political issues across the campaign trail and since being president, which is diffuse a hot-button political issue and reach a broad section of Americans,” Kendall said. “I don’t think this is a nominee that is likely to provoke a filibuster,” Kendall said. Click HERE to see the full interview with Doug Kendall.
Santorum: Money Will Not Defeat Obama, Ideas Will 
Rick Santorum's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
Go ahead Republicans Commit Political Suicide Please do the Country a Favor Put the Final nail in the Coffin!
Posted by: Angie in Pa | May 26, 2009, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
Go after her Re-bub-licans…Please Please Please
Posted by: jim | May 26, 2009, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
This is gonna be fun! Kudos Mr. President!
Posted by: Dee | May 26, 2009, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
The party of “No” and its leader, Rush Limbaugh, gear up to march like lemmings over the cliff.
Posted by: Waterboard All Right-Wing Whack-Jobs | May 26, 2009, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
I think this new political environment provides a great opportunity to address crucial issues that have been forgotten. The U.S. should be doing way more to address the Millennium Development Goals.
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget.
(source: borgenproject.org.)
Posted by: Tenisci | May 26, 2009, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
I say………Brilliant!!!!!!!
Posted by: tychisum | May 26, 2009, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
So Obama picking a LIBERAL Judge is a Masterstroke???, whoa, amazing!!.
Posted by: aden | May 26, 2009, 4:58 pm 4:58 pm
I think the conservatives will get their wish on strict adhearence to the law.
So at Cheney and Bush trial, when it is shown that torture is against the law, she will find them guilty.
Posted by: doug | May 26, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
Maria Sotomayor is a lock to become the next Supreme Court Justice. What a brilliant move by President Obama. He managed to kill three birds with one stone with this selection. Supremely educated and a independent thinker which will further balance the court. There are currently no Hispanics in the Supreme Court and she will be the second female currently on the bench. The diversity on the bench should be something that we can all be proud of and it will benefit all Americans.
Posted by: johnnylee | May 26, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
I hope that Sotomayor does a good job on the Supreme Court if the nomination goes through. The challenges that face the current government are enormous, so everyone must do their job. One of the biggest challenges that the Obama administration faces is doing more to address global poverty. The Borgen Project has good info on the estimated cost of ending global poverty:
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget.
Posted by: David | May 26, 2009, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
Given that the GOP leadership still seems to think that they got creamed in the last election because they weren’t strong enough in their convictions and didn’t yell loud enough (hah!), I think they won’t be able to resist, and will very unwisely go after her.
It will be interesting to watch the GOP demographic death spiral continue. With this kind of leadership (such as it is), the Republican Party just may go the way of the Whigs.
Posted by: Daley | May 26, 2009, 6:14 pm 6:14 pm
It’s a WRAP. I love a Strong, Smart Woman!
Posted by: tychisum | May 26, 2009, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm
“To answer your specific question, time unearths a lot of different things. No research has really been done on Sotomayor’s record.”
Right, I’m sure they haven’t done any research. More likely they just haven’t had the time to appropriately cut, paste, twist and spin the truth into a lie big or inflammatory enough for their base to get behind.
Posted by: fabrication | May 26, 2009, 7:50 pm 7:50 pm
I am a so called minority, a black male and regardless of race, creed, or color the Republican will and should stand for judges who support the constitution
as it is written. There should be no consideration of one’s experiences growing up, poverty, or anything else. The constitution is what it is, the law of the land (period). Democrats wanting legislation from the judicial bench are stupid. They think they will always have the majority so bench made legislation will always favor them. Ignorant people, with no view of the future every see beyond the present. They day will come when there will finally be more conservatives on that bench, IT WILL HAPPEN EVENTUALLY. On that day there will be mass changes in rulings. If EVERY judge did the right thing, abided by the constitution as it is written, there would be no problem. Rejoice today, cry later!
Posted by: RobNclt | May 27, 2009, 12:21 am 12:21 am
As for Obama’s master stroke, talk to the 500,000 or more people who will lose their jobs this week if Obama is doing any master stroking. 4 months into his presidency jobs are being lost in record numbers, states are still going broke after his failed stimulus, banks are s l o w l y rebounding, homes are still being forclosed on, and a full scale recession continues unabated.
This master mind is failing, I’m black and I can see it. Why can’t white media people see it? Because you see what you
WANT to see and report your distorted view to the public. Obama has thus far failed to do any master stroking. His pick of a judge is for the wrong reasons altogether. She should have been picked because she would uphold the constitution as it is written, not make decisions based on feelings or opinions of the public. Will someone wake the tired, opinionated, propagandising press up before they are all out of a job.
Posted by: RobNclt | May 27, 2009, 12:27 am 12:27 am
If the Republicans treat her with one tenth the disrespect that the Democrats treated Roberts and Alito, the press will scream bloody murder. Yes if we had a press that was actually doing it’s job we might get to learn something about her and be able to have fair hearings.
It is not a master stroke when you know the press is in your pocket and you can do anywhing without being called on it.
Posted by: lakelevel | May 27, 2009, 8:31 am 8:31 am
“…the press is in your pocket.” Huh? How about: Fox News, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, Anne Coulter, Bob Novak, Mancow Muller, Mary Matalan, Pat Buchanan, The New Republic, G. Gordon Liddy, to name just a few. These big mouths are not in Obama’s pocket. If the media is biased, it is biased against the president.
Posted by: Waterboard All Right-Wing Whack-Jobs | May 27, 2009, 9:11 am 9:11 am
“If the media is biased, it is biased against the president.”
What color is the sky in your world? All objective studies of the recent media show Obama getting much more favorable treatment than any recent president. Also the stories before the election were 3-5 times more positive for Obama than they were for McCain.
Did you know that Obama’s aproval ratings at this point in his presidency are lower that 8 out of the last 9 presidents? No? If you believe the MSM, he’s the most popular president ever.
Posted by: lakelevel | May 27, 2009, 9:25 am 9:25 am
Republicans respect empathy for corporations in legal decision-making, just not empathy for people. Unless a “person” ( foetus) hasn’t actually been born yet, in which case they have all the rights in the world, including the right to bear arms.
Sotomayor is the very embodiment of the American Dream. As is Clarence Thomas, in some ways. Except Sotomayor has a much stronger academic and judicial record, minus the Coke cans and porn.
Just as Clarence Thomas was chosen to make life difficult for Democrats ( certainly NOT for his strong judicial skill and experience), Sotomayor will give the R’s fits. Oppose her, and they further alienate women and the Latin/Hispanic community.
The difference is, the Republicans got little traction from the African-American community for nominating Thomas. Obama and the D’s will get huge points for nominating Sotomayor. And there will be plenty of Republican Senate votes in her favor.
Slam-dunk.
Posted by: Robert O'Brien | May 27, 2009, 10:30 am 10:30 am
WOOOOHOOO! Great choice president Obama. A strong latino woman is exactly what the supreme court needs. Sotomayor is a smart accomplished person. I can’t wait for the battle to begin….Get your popcorn folks, it will be great entertainment watching the GOP pick off the rest of their latina votes.
Posted by: AA Sotomayor Fan | May 27, 2009, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports:
With conservative voices and interest groups putting together an immediate message frame that seeks to portray Judge Sonia Sotomayor as an “activist” liberal, Republican senators will face a quick choice in the coming confirmation battle: How hard, and how far, to push their case opposing her.
No one has to “portray” Ms Sotomayor
as an “activist liberal”!
Her judicial record as well as her
statement about “making policy”
prove it!
As far as this pick being a
“masterstroke” by the president I think
that Mr Musser must have Had a Stroke
before he made that statement!
The fact that her roots come from a
Spanish Speaking Country, Puerto Rico,
should have no bearing on her fitness
to serve!
By the way ther is No Such Thing as an
“Hispanic”!
That is a U.S. Government Census term
created refer to all spanish-speaking
people.
Posted by: reaganfan | May 27, 2009, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm