Look for Sotomayor to Add Heat

Wall Street Journal ^ | June 2, 2009 | JESS BRAVIN and JUSTIN SCHECK

[libstripper]

Judge Sonia Sotomayor's elevation to the Supreme Court probably wouldn't bring a big change to the court's ideological balance, but in at least one area, she would likely make an immediate difference: oral arguments.

If confirmed, Judge Sotomayor would arrive on a high court where conservatives have tended to dominate oral arguments in recent years. The arguments are the only chance the public has to see the justices in action.

[libstripper]

Here's some support for those Freepers who have suggested the Magic Latina might not be as bad as many other picks the Usurper could have made because she might alienate other justices, FTA:

Perhaps the most significant relationship will be with Justice Kennedy, the swing vote on many hot-button issues.

"This remains a court dominated by Justice Kennedy," says Edward Lazarus, a former Supreme Court clerk and author of a book about the court. Mr. Goldstein, who also runs the Scotusblog.com Web site, says the liberal wing could lose out with the retirement of Justice Souter.

"Persuasion on the court is based on relationships and trust. Kennedy is somebody who trusts Souter. They worked together for two decades," Mr. Goldstein says.

To reach Justice Kennedy, Judge Sotomayor would "have to be careful," says Mr. Phillips. "You don't want to push him too hard, but you want to push him hard enough. You have to hit the notes just right."

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Look for Sotomayor to Add Heat

Heat, but not light. Of course, if it gets too hot, she can always call in some white firefighters. They adore her.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

She looks like she has a loud mouth!

[Texan Tory]

“...but in at least one area, she would likely make an immediate difference: oral arguments.”

Not to worry, I have no doubt that Justice Scalia will completely kick her @$$ in oral arguments.

[Right Cal Gal]

Oh yeah. The conservative majority will continually expose this woman for the intellectual lightweight that she truly is. Can’t wait to read her first published opinion/dissent. Of course the MSM will wax rhapsodic over her “learned pronouncements” the same way the heap disdain on anything Clarence Thomas writes (and he writes brilliantly).

[Dr. Thorne]

This could be the biggest problem. Sotomayor will vote with the liberals just like Souter, but Kennedy is a lightweight who can be swayed by the prevailing winds. His decisions are weak and often contradict themselves. It certainly would be helpful for Roberts or Alito to take him under their intellectual wing now that Souter is going to slip into well-deserved ignominy.

[libstripper]

This obnoxious, loud-mouthed, hectoring, racist harpy might be just the thing (and I do mean thing) to push Kennedy over to the right.

[bestintxas]

“Look for Sotomayor to Add Heat” to Americans as the 2nd Amendment will be ground zero.

When I read this heading I saw a different wording going on.

[Oldpuppymax]

The moral? Stupid, arrogant people are famous for opening their mouths and removing all doubt as to both their arrogance and their stupidity. They can’t help it, as they consider themselves the smartest people in the room! Witness our buffoon VP!

[Dr. Thorne]

We live and hope. I agree with your description of her. I don’t think this woman is capable of hiding her disdain for everything honest, decent and American. The left have no emotional self-control and, hopefully, you are right and she will not be able to resist letting her “freak flag fly”, driving Kennedy to the conservatives.