The hearing is in recess until 2:00 PM. Senators have been giving opening statements all morning. Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III set the tone for the GOP with a pretty scathing assault on Judge Sotomayor. As predicted, he couldn't help himself. Sessions talking about bigotry was rich.
Sotomayor will give her opening statement later this afternoon after we hear from four more Democratic Senators, including Specter and Franken. Questions from Senators start tomorrow, which will give Sessions another opportunity to attack the nominee.
Senator Tom Coburn, another of the extremist right wingers in the GOP, tried very hard to sound sane. He told Sotomayor that our nation is showing cracks because we don't have blind justice anymore. Huh? Those GOPers sure seem to long for the good old days. You know, before all those darn justices took away the sacrosanct "separate, but equal." Coburn is concerned that her statements might be inconsistent with impartiality. And, he's quite concerned that she live up to her oath. (Meanwhile, Coburn, as a physician (OB/GYN) and church deacon, is ducking questions about his involvement in the Ensign scandal.)
Democrats have been doing a good job of rebutting GOP attacks. And, while we don't always love her, credit where credit is due -- Senator Feinstein lets the Republicans have it over conservative judicial activism:
Also, while the Confederacy wing of the GOP is attacking Sotomayor, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told the judge that she's going to get confirmed:
Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) told Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor that she is virtually assured of Senate confirmation during his opening statement during Monday’s confirmation hearing.A bunch of Lindsey's GOP colleagues are having meltdowns.
“Unless you have a complete meltdown, you’re going to be confirmed,” said Graham, capturing the sentiment of many Republicans at the outset of Sotomayor’s hearing.
