Sotomayor's Deliberate Choice of Words (If it walks like a Racist and talks like a Racist...)

washington post ^ | May 30, 2009 | Ruth Marcus

[kellynla]

Nice try, Mr. President, but I’m not buying the poor-choice-of-words defense for Sonia Sotomayor. “I’m sure she would have restated it,” President Obama told NBC News about his Supreme Court nominee’s now-famous 32 words: "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." Said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, "I think she'd say that her word choice in 2001 was poor.”

You spin the speech that’s dealt you. But it seems clear to me that Sotomayor, to quote that great jurist Dr. Seuss, meant what she said and said what she meant. This was no throwaway line or off-the-cuff linguistic stumble along the lines of the judge’s other controversial comment about appeals courts making policy.

Rather, Sotomayor was deliberately and directly disputing remarks by then-Justice Sandra Day O’Connor that a wise old woman and a wise old man would eventually reach the same conclusion in a case. “I am…not so sure that I agree with the statement,” Sotomayor said. Moreover, if Sotomayor regretted that YouTube moment, she had the chance to revise and extend: Her remarks were reprinted in the Berkeley La Raza Law Journal. Knowing the multi-layered editing process of law journals, I’d be shocked if Sotomayor did not at least have the chance to review the transcript of her speech and make any tweaks.

My rejection of the spin, by the way, doesn’t mean I think this is anywhere near sufficient grounds to reject the nominee. The totality of the speech shows Sotomayor wrestling intelligently with the influences of race and gender on judging.

[kellynla]

"But I believe she knew exactly what she was saying back then — even if it now takes some fancy spinning to undo now."

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The first spin, “quoted out of context,” didn’t work very well.

[fwdude]

Sotomayor’s ties to La Raza should tell you all you need to know.

[fleagle]

I agree. Of course she “knew” what she was saying. You don’t make a statement like that without being 100% invested in it. The attempt at spinning it now is making that more and more obvious...

[samtheman]

reprinted in the Berkeley La Raza Law Journal

Goodbye, US Constitution. Goodbye. It was nice while it lasted.

[y6162]

“I’m sure she would have restated it,” President Obama”

IMUS and a lot of other white guys didn’t get a redo.

The statement, alone, disqualifies her. Not to mention her membership in La Raza, the hispanic KKK cha cha cha.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Mr. President, will you add latina women to your Cabinet to improve your administrations decision making?

[y6162]

“The attempt at spinning it now is making that more and more obvious.”

Obamachev’s spinning reveals he agrees that whites are second class citizens before the law, but it was impolitic for her to be so honest about it.

[mefistofelerevised]

She is so racist. Latino women are superior to white males? Why? What is the rich experience? She is disgusting. Just what we need on the supreme court, a la raza racist.

[CodeMasterPhilzar]

Didn't you get the memo? It isn't racism or discrimination when a minority does it to a non-minority. :-/

Sadly, not really sarcasm. Many liberals apparently feel this way.

[Tzimisce]

I predict in the long run the black population will end up hating Sotomayer more than anyone else.

There is growing racial tension between Hispanics and Blacks in this country - especially in Aztlan (La Raza’s fictional Southwestern state...Sotomayer is a member of La Raza.)

[Godwin1]

There is no question that this woman is a racist. Her nomination is a deliberate attempt to turn this country into a Northern Ireland, a Yugoslavia, a Sudan, a Rwanda. In all these societies “identity” determined political ideology and led to unspeakable violence. In balkanizing America by cynically using race for political advantage, the democrats are playing with fire. Whites will not willingly board the trains for camps run by La Raza and the disciples of Reverend Wright and Eric Holder.

[mefistofelerevised]

All that matters is race. Only (mainly)whites are stupid enough to try and look past it.

[Bubba_Leroy]

"I’m sure she would have restated it"

I'm sure she would have restated it too.

The key for Democrats gaining and holding power is to lie about what they really think.

[madamemayhem]

if it walks like a racist and talks like a racist.......it must be a liberal!!!

[Liz]

Sotomayor's the "Latino Grievance" nominee......every ruling from the bench will be ironclad to redress every latino grievance. Americans will be paying with our freedoms......for those Frito Bandito commercials.

======================================

Wonder who she's communicating with? (/snic). Should be part of the nomination process----submitting her cell phone records and email messages from the date of nomination.

Sotomayor's now-famous 32 words: "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

Translated into white male-ese: "I'm gonna make those gringos pay bigtime for those Frito Bandido commercials."

[thinking]

WE Conservatives, always turn the other cheek...this progressive liberal “person” just stated precisely what she is stands for, what agenda she stands for, and will push at each challenge...we Conservatives, say, well you she didn't really say that or she didn't really mean....horse feathers: she means what she says, and will do what she says....WHEN ARE FOLKS GOING TO STAND UP...the liberals are at war with the rest of us...