Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings Start Monday

The President called Judge Sonia Sotomayor to wish her luck tomorrow. I wish her luck as well. True, she isn’t all that fire-breathing liberal, but she is a brown sista and she is a first. And I know she will do well.

I’m sure all the cable news networks will carry part or all of it. My suggestion is to get with C-Span with no commercial interruptions or punditry. The hearings start at 9 a.m. Central, 7 a.m. Pacific, and 10 a.m. Eastern. There are going to be 19 opening 20-minute statements before Sotomayor even speaks in the afternoon, and then the next day, Tuesday, the interrogation really begins.

CNN’s John King said these people and topics were worth watching:

• Sen. Orrin Hatch: The Utah Republican is among those raising questions about Sotomayor’s views on the Second Amendment. Hatch’s tone as the week nears its end will speak volumes because outside of the committee, his views carry sway with less reflexively partisan GOP colleagues.

• Empathy factor: Frank Ricci, among the New Haven, Connecticut, firefighters whose discrimination suit is a cause célèbre of Sotomayor critics, is among the GOP witnesses for the hearing. If this subplot turns captivating, watch for a Democrat or two on the committee to suggest how wonderful it is to see this conservative “empathy” for Ricci’s case. (Google “Sotomayor and empathy” if you need a refresher on this one.)

• NRA vs. FBI and FOP: The National Rifle Association is represented on the Republican witness list. The Fraternal Order of Police and a past FBI director are among the Democrats’ lead witnesses. Sotomayor allies believe those whose job it is to put people behind bars will have more credibility on law-and-order issues, both with key senators and in the battle for public opinion.

Whatever. I also expect some Dems looking to appear hard on Sotomayor, so as not to piss off independents or liberal Republicans. Oh, please. All the Republicans need to do is piss off Latinos and Mexican-Americans all over, and that could be easily done. The Democrats need to grow some spines.

Stay tuned.

~ by blksista on July 13, 2009.