On most of the "likely candidates" lists I have seen, Sotomayor is among the more centrist (one reason I prefer some other names).

Obama should read into Hatch's preemptive strike that there is simply no one who would be appropriate under the "elections have consequences" theory that will not face a difficult confirmation from the Republican side, and he should therefore not give that a moment's concern.

What the Republicans want is for the 06 and 08 elections (and the party's continued shrinkage) to have no consequences; screw that.

Moreover, taken in context anyone with an ounce of legal background and an ounce of intellectual honesty would have to concede that what Judge Sotomayor said is inargubaly true. Indeed, she expressly said she is not endorsing courts making policy - it just is a fact. If one thinks rationally, rather than politically, of course it is: easy cases don't get to the published decisions of appeals courts. Appeals cases more often than not involve grey areas, unanticipated applications, or ambiguities where reasonable legal minds disagree. What she said actually shows the kind of care one should want in a judge -- that at the appeals court level, one cannot simply look at the facts as between the specific litigants, because the appellate decision will be precedental over all cases in an entire circuit. A judge must be mindful of how that plays out, mindful of the policy being set and the implications in other cases.

Arguably, Hatch has it exactly backwards: I take Judge Sotomayor's comments in full context to be that this concern for broader applicability serves as a limitation on a judge - sometimes what one thinks is right as between two private litigants may not be a just result if the facts are different, therefore it is not an appropriate appellate court ruling. It is a rule of conservative (decidedly little-"c") jurisprudence to write narrowly to minimize unintended consequences, or at least to attempt to fully contemplate those consequences.

Maybe Hatch thinks Judges should just rule willy-nilly without regard to forethought?

I really resent that this is what the process of confirmation has come to, because I really resent what this will do over time to the quality of jurisprudence in our appeals courts.

Steve Benen wrote: "And finally, Obama is Spock."

No, Obama is Tuvok.

Al Gore was Spock.

And yet you gotta wonder, what is it about studying Arabic and joining the army that attracts so many homosexuals? It's almost like the priesthood. Or a sing-a-long version of The Sound of Music.

So we'll go so far as to torture people to "keep our country secure," but heaven forbid the guy who can understand what the torture victim is saying be gay. We draw the lines in some strange places in this country.

"Obama is Spock"

Well, Spock *was* famous for his wide, toothy smile, his diplomacy with humans and his skill with a basketball.

Honestly, Salon is going to the dogs.

and I'm a Premium subscriber!... /whimper

Per usual, SecularAnimist beat me to it.

It's odd to hear Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)... sound more reasonable

That's a pretty generous interpretation. Of course he's going to say that "gay tendencies" don't disqualify a nominee. Even the most bigoted people believe in tokens, but they would have to prove themselves with strong conservative records.

And what does "gay tendencies" mean, anyway? They like quiche?

* And finally, Obama is Spock. Good to know.

Maybe. But I can't help thinking what we really need is a Scotty...

dijon mustard too

The GOP is going to offer stiff opposition to whoever Obama nominates. Sotomayor just happens to be the one in the headlines at the moment.

Obama should just pick who he thinks is the best candidate and wait for the android opposition to run out of gas. They'll never be pleased with anything and therefore deserve to be ignored.

And yet you gotta wonder, what is it about studying Arabic and joining the army that attracts so many homosexuals?

Honestly, I have no idea.

Could be that linguists are generally highly educated, and as such come from more liberal and open backgrounds, are therefore more likely to be "out." (I can't back up any one of those claims, but just thinking out loud.)

Maybe in the less intensely physical and violent world of interpreting documents, they feel more freedom to come out.

And maybe we hear more about them because kicking them out is so obviously stupid.

And all those are reasons why there might be an APPEARANCE of more gaiety in the translation corps. But, jeez, there are not a lot of those guys... every story like this always included asn appalling low population for military translators...

I wonder how long Pakistans "war" will last. I thought it was internal political dynamics preventing them from truly taking on the Taliban.

But at least Obama's asking them to make the appearance of trying.

.
Buried in that budget bill were cut-offs of tax breaks for Big Awl. Didn't you hear the piggies squeal? You will.
.

"Circle your calendar: 'Karl Rove's long-awaited testimony before Congress about the US Attorney firings will likely occur around early June, according to Rove's lawyer'."

I wanted to suggest a drinking game, that we would all take a drink every time Rove says "I don't recall", but I fear we would likely be passed out on the floor in no time.

I truly hope that Sotomayor is the nominee. The Republican party cannot oppose her, which is why I think they are doing a preemptive strike. The talking points are she is stupid and bitchy. How will that play to women and the Hispanic population? The Republican Party would be writing off those votes for a generation with their opposition.

And what does "gay tendencies" mean, anyway? They like quiche? -- Danp, @18:03

That, and they colour-coordinate their sheets and towels. In lilac.

***************************
Buried in that budget bill were cut-offs of tax breaks for Big Awl. Didn't you hear the piggies squeal? You will. -- cosanostradamus, @18:39

Funding for abstinence only got axed too; what will little piggies do?
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/05/07/obama-abstinence-budget/

* And finally, Obama is Spock. Good to know. -- Steve Benen

Goes to show the culture gap; the Spock that comes to my mind is the the doctor whose book on raising healthy infants I read when my son was born...

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said Judge Sonia Sotomayor would face stiff GOP opposition if she were nominated for the Supreme Court.

I'd be curious if Hatch would have anything constructive to offer if we were to ask who among promising liberal judges would NOT face stiff opposition.

A couple of things:

Ron Reagan is doing an awesome job on AirAmerica Radio.
Tom Coburn, R/Oklahoma, was the person voting against Obama's nominee Kerlinkowske today.
And the funniest thing I saw all day was a comment wondering if K.Rove's long awaited and upcoming appearance and testimony might be on Pay Per View

* And finally, Obama is Spock. Good to know.

Maybe. But I can't help thinking what we really need is a Scotty...

Gawd knows Geithner certainly isn't up to the job . . .

Really, though, who needs a Klingon when you've got Rahm Emmanuelle?

Congrats on your video being on Maddow's show, Hilzoy. She played it and ran with it. Great job!

I don't think there could be a better endorsement for Judge Sonia Sotomayor than Orrin Hatch's vocal opposition.

"Every time an Arabic linguist is thrown out of the U.S. military for being gay, I get a little more outraged."

What IS it about Arabic linguists and teh gay, anyway?

For all of you who heaped scorn upon me this morning, I have done some reading and must confess that the record is crystal clear -- Senator Jeff Sessions is a bigot.

By the way piling on is what a lot of us used to find so disgusting about wingers. I guess times have changed.

Really, though, who needs a Klingon when you've got Rahm Emmanuelle?

I'm not sure that you got Rahm's alien race correct. His oft-quoted:

Rule one: Never allow a crisis to go to waste.

is pretty much straight from the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition.

By the way piling on is what a lot of us used to find so disgusting about wingers. I guess times have changed.

A grownup might have said, "You guys were right. Sorry I fatuously lectured you against something none of you were doing while I had zero acquaintance with the issue on which I was holding forth."

Sorry that you chose instead to whine about having been "piled on." Of course, had you not immediately rejected the first polite correction you were offered and then doubled down on your wrongheaded attempts at a sermon, you wouldn't have had to hear from so many people.

Orrin, in the words of your favorite vice-president, go f--k yourself!

IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES RESPONDING TO OBAMA'S EMERGING AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN POLICY,
PEPE ESCOBAR WRITES IN THE ASIAN TIMES AN ARTICLE THAT INTRIQUES ME....

WOULD ANY OF YOUR BLOGGERS COMMENT? HERE IS A BRIEF EXCERPT...

"The strategy is also oblivious to the fact that the Taliban themselves receive scores of funding from pious Gulf petro-monarchy millionaires as well as from sections in Saudi Arabia - the same Saudi Arabia that Pentagon supremo Robert Gates is now actively courting to ... abandon the Taliban. Since the Obama inauguration in January, Washington's heavy pressure over Islamabad has been relentless: forget about your enemy India, we want you to fight "our" war against the Taliban and "al-Qaeda".

Thus, expect any Pashtun opium farmer or peasant who brandishes his ax, dagger, matchlock or rusty Lee-Enfield rifle at the ultra-high tech incoming US troops to be branded a "terrorist". Welcome to yet one more chapter of the indeed long Pentagon war against the world's poorest. "

Unless, I have missed any threads concerning "The Best Little Whore House in Montana", why no mention of the so-called Democratic Senator Max Baucus, who has become the biggest shill for the Pharma and Medical Insurance industries? He wouldn't allow any Single Payer representative to sit at the table for a recent conference. In fact, he ordered security to remove and arrest some of the single payer supporters for "disrupting" the session at his Finance Committe. Max, only Democrat allowed to sit in on the Medicare reform brain storming. Remember that bill - Medicare was not allowed to use the buying system used by the VA to keep costs as low as possible. Max receives the largest amounts of money from Pharma and Big Insurance of any Senator. Now, why else would that money be given to a Senator from a very small state? Max is a Whore.