GOP Senators Lack Enthusiasm to Block Sotomayor

by: tremayne

Wed May 27, 2009 at 11:37

While Rush Limbaugh calls Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor a racist and Ann Couler calls for a filibuster, GOP Senators are in a political bind. For a party already shrinking due to demographic changes (and lack of ability to manage any part of the government well) attacking an "up from the Bronx" Latina woman apparently isn't very palatable. Here's the best Republicans can muster:

Charles Grassley: "We need to ask tough questions to learn how this individual views the role of a Supreme Court justice."

Ouch. How about Jeff Sessions? He's attacking with a sports metaphor:

...we must determine if Ms. Sotomayor understands that the proper role of a judge is to act as a neutral umpire of the law, calling balls and strikes fairly without regard to one’s own personal preferences or political views.

But John Cornyn means business. He's making demands. Cornyn says the Obama administration won't get any cooperation unless... unless Sotomayor agrees to answer questions:

...the president has assured me that we will have ample time to give Ms. Sotomayor's record a full and fair review.

Take that Democrats!

You may say this is just typical Senate speak but previous nominees have been attacked immediately out of the gate. Harriet Miers was attacked from the right and left. And when Samuel Alito was nominated instead, Patrick Leahy called the pick "needlessly provocative."

Surely the most recent standard bearer for the GOP, John McCain, could work up some anger sarcasm over Sotomayor:

I congratulate Judge Sonia Sotomayor on her nomination by the President to be an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court,” McCain said. “I look forward to examining her record thoroughly during the Senate confirmation process."

Jim DeMint?

I will withhold judgment about her nomination until she has the opportunity to fully present her views before the Senate

Mitch McConnell?

Senate Republicans will treat Judge Sotomayor fairly.

Olympia Snowe?

a well-qualified woman

The primary strategy of Republican Senators will be to delay the process as long they can (a la Al Franken), hope a smoking gun emerges, and talk a lot about legislating from the bench. Will these GOP Senators be voting for Sotomayor. No, most won't. But, absent some new dirt, don't expect too much fight from them either.