Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Right Discovers That Sotomayor Was Not The Radical Caricature It Created

Republicans on the Judiciary Committee - - perhaps listening to their growing Latino constituencies, perhaps even listening to Sonia Sotomayor's answers - - are discovering that the Supreme Court nominee is good enough to confirm.

Or at least good enough to step aside for a quick vote, since her confirmation, which was always going to happen, is now a guaranteed win.

Sotomayor is - - contrary to reflexive early dieseling by Rush Limbaugh - - a moderate, and a scholar.

Not an ideologue, but a Constitutionalist, which is what one would expect from the President, Barack Obama, who taught Constitutional Law.

The Right tried and failed to make a political mountain out of Sotomayor's "wise Latina" remark.

She'll join the court. She'll probably vote with the liberal bloc 50-to-60% of the time.

But won't be doctrinaire or addicted to predictable templaces, as, say, are Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia.

Some ill-informed conservatives think Sotomayor was trying to fool the committee by pretending to be conservative, or had a 'conversion' away from radicalism, but these people fooled themselves into thinking she was on far left - - so keep missing the point.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

James - would you equally describe some or all members of the "liberal bloc" as being "doctrinaire or addicted to predictable templates"?

Or would you find a more life affirming description that would put them in a favorable light.

Just curious.

James Rowen said...

If you will recall, Limbaugh and others from the start described Sotomayor as a liberal/radical, with wild accusations about her tempermant - - none of which was true or called for - - but came out of the play book for attacking nominees by Democratic presidents.

Anonymous said...

James - I wasn't asking you about what Rush Limbaugh said - am surprised you listen to him btw.

Rather I was asking you about your characterization of Justices Thomas & Scalia - hence the usage of quotes.