Does a Senator Have Some Splainin’ to Do?
Email ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: It registered as a moment of levity inside the hearing room. Yes, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was hypothetically talking about shooting a sitting US senator. And yes, that senator responded by channeling Ricky Ricardo. As part of a discussion of the Second Amendment with Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Sotomayor produced an unusual hypothetical: SOTOMAYOR: “If I go home, get a gun, come back and shoot you, that may not be legal under New York law because you would have alternative ways to defend…” COBURN: “You’ll have lots of ‘splainin’ to do.” SOTOMAYOR: “I’d be in a lot of trouble then.” Both Coburn and Sotomayor were laughing by the end of the exchange. But it left commentators buzzing about Sotomayor’s odd choice of hypotheticals — and how Coburn used a catchphrase made famous by Desi Arnaz’s character on “I Love Lucy.” Though Coburn didn’t imitate Arnaz’s accent, Ricky Ricardo remains one of the most famous Hispanic characters in TV history. Sotomayor, of course, is the first Latino nominated for a seat on the Supreme Court. Asked to respond, Coburn’s spokesman, John Hart, told ABC that “of course it was a joke”: “Before you fuel an ethnic controversy you should watch the exchange. Who is offended? Are you asking us to respond to people who are offended or people you believe might be offended?”
“Of course it was a joke. She was just talking about shooting the senator with a gun.”
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Much ado about nothng.
Posted by: FS | July 15, 2009, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
No, it’s not.
Posted by: FML | July 15, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
I say go get your gun.
Posted by: gasyusblast | July 15, 2009, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
coburn is one of the folks who live at the c street residence. I belive this is a right wing cult group. the residents believe they have been chosen by God to take over the world and that anything they do is ok – such as sanford and ensign.
these folks are dangereous and are very scary.
Posted by: cjr | July 15, 2009, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm
At least Ricky got to spank Lucy when she messed up.
Posted by: KsDevil | July 15, 2009, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
oh grow up abcnews. What an idiotic thing to make a big deal about.
Posted by: hahawrong | July 15, 2009, 4:26 pm 4:26 pm
At least he didn’t do the Ricky Ricardo accident. Given what a part of Americana I Love Lucy is, I can buy (even as a Latina) that it was just intended as a joke- not as anything more. A poorly chosen joke, but a joke nonetheless.
Posted by: Kiare | July 15, 2009, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm
The media is trying to distract from Sotomayor’s record and her responses. The senator did not imitate anybody, he borrowed a phrase from a once-popular TV show, did not put on an accent etc. Frankly, I have more trouble with the thought of an appointed Supreme Court Justice who thinks she can make up the law on a whim, rather than rule based on the law as written by representatives who are actually elected. The headline conveniently makes no mention of her proposal to get a gun and shoot the Senator – that should be bigger news than his response.
Posted by: NFW | July 15, 2009, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm
Get a sense of humor already, I’m glad they felt they could talk to each other like human beings.
Posted by: iamwomaninMI | July 15, 2009, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm
This will be a breeze—a sail through confirmation for the judge. The senators know this, and are just having fun at it. Judge Sotomayor is a well spoken, candid person. She will be a good justice in the supreme court.
Posted by: what667 | July 15, 2009, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
Poor taste or not, Judge Sotomajor took it on with a smile. Some others might not have been so light-hearted.
Posted by: Kent | July 15, 2009, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
This is why these late night comedians have it so easy.
Posted by: Madeleine | July 15, 2009, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
PLEASE GIVE IT UP ALREADY…NON STORY WASTE OF TIME. NIT PICKIN
Posted by: karen | July 15, 2009, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
If they were both genuinely laughing at the end this is a complete nonstory.
Posted by: Ordermonger | July 15, 2009, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
no es importante!
Posted by: soraya | July 15, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
This could be an Imus moment for Senator Coburn!
NOT.
Posted by: Nightjar | July 15, 2009, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
ABC News! You gotta lotta ‘splainin’ to do!
(this is a non-event)
Posted by: Kevin | July 15, 2009, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
Yes, ABC news – are you trying to make UP a story?
Posted by: sevresblue | July 15, 2009, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm
Ehh – I think coburn was probably hoping he could find a way to squeeze that in to his 30 minutes–and that it was probably rehearsed in his head. I think it’s non-story but is worth calling out because the hearings have been spattered with these nuanced comments. Sessions had to point out that one of Sotomayor’s colleague whom she shares a bench with is Puerto Rican for example. If you compared this hearing to the Roberts/Alito hearings you would notice a marked difference.
Posted by: krd | July 15, 2009, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm
I am appalled that anyone in America can call a Conservative-Republican a racist/terrorist. I am hispanic and I would not vote for Sotomayor based on the decision she made regarding the firefighters. For any hispanic who is ready to break open the bubbly and release confetti just because a fellow hispanic made it to the Supreme Court; let me quote the following: “He who does the will of my Father is also then my brother, mother, sister, father”. Therefore, by voting or supporting someone who allowed her personal views dictate her decision on the ‘firefighters’ case; you are being Hypocrites and are WRONG. Equality should include the same expectation and standard across the board.
Posted by: Milagros | July 15, 2009, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
Now if she said to do this to hannity or rush then I think she would get a huge consensus.
Posted by: truthbetold | July 15, 2009, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
The Republicans are committing a kind of political suicide. In their attempt to appeal to the racist minority in their so-called base, they are trashing Sotomayor. They think they are covering their tracks, making what they way seem to be said on ideological grounds, but I think almost everybody gets it.
Posted by: JAB | July 15, 2009, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
Milagros: Easy buddy… I don’t know what you’re talking about, or how the heck it relates to this story… but we have people that can talk you down from whatever you are on…
Posted by: Troy Street | July 15, 2009, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
Lighten up, people! If they can laugh, why can’t you? ABC is reporting on the hearings. Apparantly as they progress, there’s a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Sotomayor, welcome to the Supreme Court!
Posted by: signseeker17 | July 15, 2009, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
So…. she has a gun in her house and is pro-gun ownership??
“If I go home, get a gun …”
If she didn’t have a gun in her home, why not just say “If I leave, get a gun …”
I think she keeps a gun for personal safety. I would be relieved to know that she is a proponent of legal gun ownership.
Posted by: working bee | July 15, 2009, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
how is this news?
Posted by: yagzud | July 15, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
could it be that that is just the way Coburn talks when he’s trying to say “explaining”. The two were laughing – if she wasn’t offended, why over analyze it?
Posted by: hmm | July 15, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
non-story, non-issue–next!
Posted by: justsane | July 15, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
Sotomayor’s reply should be very reassuring to the gun lobby. Clearly, she keeps a gun at home.
Posted by: Gorgonzola | July 15, 2009, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
Thank You krd,
What you mention is correct.
You others out there: Can’t you see how ABC SNOOZE is trying to trivialize this very important process.
WAKE UP AMERICA!
Posted by: Danton | July 15, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
So…when when Sotomayor makes a “wise Latina” comment, she’s a racist, as per Republicans and their arch-goon, Rush. But when a Republican gives us a cartoon Latino comment, oh, no, no, it’s not racist. Uh uh. Apparently, just like committing adultery, it’s only a crime if a Democrat does it.
Posted by: Chiliayo | July 15, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
The Senator doesn’t have any splainin’ to do – he doesn’t need to say a thin’!
Posted by: MissButterfly | July 15, 2009, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm
Ms. Sodamyre is proving she is not so much a Judge that deserves the seat on the Supream Court she desires.
but she has proved she can be a politician that can worm her way out of most questions.
In a court of law SHE would not stand for someone to side step questions like she does.
She would want “Yes” or “NO” answers, not political dobble talk
Posted by: Dave | July 15, 2009, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm
oh grow up abcnews. What an idiotic thing to make a big deal about.
Posted by: hahawrong | Jul 15, 2009 4:26:43 PM
***************************************
Yeah, promoting the birth certificate thing over on Fox is a WAY bigger deal.
Posted by: Fedup | July 15, 2009, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm
she is clearly a gun owner – and she can clearly take a joke. non story.
Posted by: trueblue | July 15, 2009, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm
The incident reported is a big nothing, potentially humorous in a non-PC world. What isn’t humorous is putting a radical leftist on the Supreme Court. I give not a twit if she is Latina, homgenia, black-wina or white-amini. That stuff only matters to Democrats and other leftists who continuously play the race card when it serves their narrow minded purposes.
Posted by: Honest John | July 15, 2009, 7:02 pm 7:02 pm
Slow news day?
Posted by: Lojiko | July 15, 2009, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm
This column is just the kind of crap liberals pull all of the time. Ablack man was crucified by liberals in his hearings. Durbin can call white guys racists and Sotomayor can demean white men as a group, but let a republican say anything and this is the result.
Sick of the liberal haters!
Posted by: Kara | July 15, 2009, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
I doubt that Coburn really meant anything by his silly attempt at humor, I doubt he even knows that Ricki Ricardo was Cuban and not Puerto Rican, I’m sure that all Hispanics look and sound the same to him.
Posted by: JR | July 15, 2009, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
I must have missed the context of this exchange?
Posted by: LongT | July 15, 2009, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
Looks like the ABC element of the lame stream media is trying to create a controversy. No wonder few pay attention.
Posted by: jim13 | July 15, 2009, 8:07 pm 8:07 pm
A “wise Latina” will take in in the spirit it was meant. Silly white leftists, on the other hand. . .
Posted by: flopez | July 15, 2009, 8:38 pm 8:38 pm
I’m surprised her honor didn’t already know that self defense would not include someone leaving the scene to go home and get a gun and come back and shoot someone (Senator). It’s when you are attacked in your home on your own property or feel as though your life is threatened at that moment. So again the wise Latina judge dodged the question.
Posted by: JessicaGregory | July 15, 2009, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm
Would the media dare play the Clarence Thomas hearings as to educate the youth of America who missed the circus what the Dems are capable of. Why won’t CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS play the line of questioning Clarence Thomas had to endure and make their own judgement if the wise Latina would be able to hold up. I’m so sick of playing softball and dumbing down America for all this PC BS
Posted by: JessicaGregory | July 15, 2009, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm
On its own it was simply a joke that was probably best left unsaid. The problem is we have spent three days watching all these old white men wringing their hands that this uppity woman thinks there is such a thing as female Latina wisdom (yet another comment best left unsaid but certainly not worth three days of making fools of themselves worried about their white rights).
I used to really respect and admire many things about both of our parties. I no longer respect the Republican party that builds its base on white paranoia. I have nothing but contempt for people like Pat Buchanan who are egging the Republican congress on to play on racial divides. Let them go right ahead and become the minority party of religious fanatics and bigots. Its a darn shame because this country needs two respectable parties to balance each other and this bunch of clowns couldn’t balance anything.
Posted by: Annie | July 15, 2009, 9:37 pm 9:37 pm
How about Durbin’s comment that white Senators didn’t have it in their DNA to be non-discriminitory. In other words, racists. Get you Lib teeth in to that one ABC!!
Posted by: Arnold | July 15, 2009, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm
When we asked questions of the white male nominees of a Republican president, we were basically trying to find out whether — to make sure that they would go far enough in understanding the plight of minorities, because clearly that was not in their DNA. The questions being asked of you from the other side primarily are along the lines of, will you go too far in siding with minorities? ( The exact Quote)
Posted by: Arnold | July 15, 2009, 9:54 pm 9:54 pm
As an independent who voted and did some minor campaigning for Obama, I will say that this type of over-the-top political corectness by the left does nothing but drive people moderates like myself away from the democrats. I urge you to throw around accusations of racism judiciously, just as I urged republican friends of mine years ago to be cautious on their agressvie foreign policy.
Posted by: Jeff | July 15, 2009, 10:02 pm 10:02 pm
Sorry I got it wrong the first time folks – but you get message. In other words, Sotomayor could not undertand the the plight of disadvantaged poor white people because it is not in her DNA.(???) A stupid racist comment from the number 2 demoratic senator, Mr. Durbin.
Posted by: Arnold | July 15, 2009, 10:05 pm 10:05 pm
I’ve been offended ever since obama first played the race card. How dare they assume whites are racist. How dare they think we’re all of prveledge and are selfish bigots. How dare they insult us, demean us, degrade our accomplishments in the name of getting even or settling the score. This is the most regressive administration I’ve ever known. We’ve always in the past tried to move forward to me other than the fact that obama won and marks a first the rest is just BS.
Posted by: JessicaGregory | July 15, 2009, 11:39 pm 11:39 pm
I could have not said it better
Posted by: cathy | July 15, 2009, 11:50 pm 11:50 pm
It’s likely that it didn’t even cross his mind that Ricky Ricardo was a Hispanic character… that character is such a familiar part of our lives and such a part of our common American culture that I wouldn’t ever think “Oh, he’s Hispanic” when I said that catchphrase. He’s just Ricky Ricardo.
Posted by: Mallory | July 16, 2009, 1:01 am 1:01 am
it is a racist comment, pure and simple. it is what we have come to expect from the religious fringe in congress who use hate as a tool to divide america. wake up america and toss out the hate mongers
Posted by: marty | July 16, 2009, 1:39 am 1:39 am
Why can’t the wise Latina apologize for her offensive racist comments and then go to two weeks diversity training.
Posted by: JessicaGregory | July 16, 2009, 1:48 am 1:48 am
Neither is hispanic or latina a RACE.Iam of spanish and german decent but I would never call myself hispanic or latina.My B.C just said race white noting else.With all the immigrants illegal or legal coming from mexico and south america,in the last 35 or40 years,the government of U.S calls them hispanic no matter what race they are.But the right word is Mestizo.I don’t know why Sotomayor made such a dumb remark cause she her mother,brother and uncle all look white,just like any other white family.
Posted by: AidaVelez | July 16, 2009, 2:08 am 2:08 am
Dear ABC news pro-tip:
Nothing destroys a joke like explaining its mechanics and eruditely pointing out where the references come from.
Posted by: t961585 | July 16, 2009, 2:47 am 2:47 am
Oh good grief. I’m a liberal, a card-carrying Democrate, and certainly no fan of far-right extremism (which is what the Republican party has become for the most part). However, this is silly. I sometimes say ‘you’ve got some ‘splaining to do’ in jest to my friends and family. I grew up on I Love Lucy reruns…it’s just a joking thing to say. In fact, I would think if the senator was really dwelling on her ethnicity, he’d have never said it. So, I find myself in that rare moment these days, of defending a Republican for something. This one is much todo about nothing, IMO.
Posted by: Trish | July 16, 2009, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
Milagros sounds like a self righteous religious bigot. Everybody that doesn’t think like her is WRONG. I bet she’s not a latina either.
Posted by: stelmach | July 19, 2009, 3:36 am 3:36 am
Gee, where were all you “it’s just a joke, get a sense of humor” Republicans when David Letterman was being attacked?
Posted by: Random | July 19, 2009, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm