I just finished watching the the start of the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor as a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Started out with numerous senators having their preliminary
remarks, including a point where Sen Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
had to caution the audience that respect would be afforded to all persons, whether they were present at the hearings or not, in response to an outburst when Sen Ted Kennedy's name was mentioned.
There were even a few hecklers removed from the room.
From what we heard, some of the Republicans are dead set against her nomination, including some that are complaining that she is overly sensitive to minority and gender concerns, Sen. Kyle (R-TX) even going so far as rather openly saying that she would color her decisions based on the skin color and gender of the litigants.
Of course, the republicans are rather coyly ignoring the records and behavior of the more conservative members of the current court and its' record of "activism" and protection of the embedded privilege of the racial and economic status quo at the expense of civil rights, consumer protection and access to the courts of those who may be of more meager economic means.
