Sotomayor receives Judiciary Committee’s seal of approval

The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted in favor of the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. The count was 13-6.
It was nearly a straight party-line vote. All 12 Democrats voted in favor of Sotomayor; six of seven Republicans voted against.
The one Republican who voted with the Democrats for President Obama’s left-liberal, disingenuous nominee was Lindsey Graham, who thought it would be a nice gesture.
The rest of the Republican members, including Senators Hatch and Grassley who have consistently deferred to Democratic presidents on Supreme Court nominees in the past, had the good sense not to do so here. They are to be commended for adjusting to the confirmation “rules,” established by the Democrats, under which nominees are opposed for no reason other than ideological disagreement (although here, Sotomayor’s dishonesty during the reasons constituted an independent basis for voting “no”).
Senator Graham’s willingness, even eagerness, to have one set of rules for confirming Democratic nominees and another, far more stringent set for confirming Republican nominees is disturbing, though not surprising. It confirms that Graham is more concerned with his image of independence and “fair-mindedness” than with stopping the Supreme Court from drifting leftward due to the superior ability of Senate Democrats to play hardball.

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