May 27, 2009 11:38 AM

GOP Pushback Continues, With Limbaugh Calling Sotomayor A "Reverse Racist"

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Sonia Sotomayor
5039543
Updated at 2:20 ET with comments from Newt Gingrich.

Republican senators continued through Tuesday and Wednesday to express reservations about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, as some conservative interest groups and pundits ratcheted up the pressure for the GOP to oppose the nomination. Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich have gone so far as to call Sotomayor a "racist."

Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, had a measured response on Tuesday to Sotomayor's nomination, calling for thorough Senate confirmation hearings.

This morning Sessions reiterated the need for a thorough vetting, adding that "the nominee has serious problems," according to the Associated Press. He specifically said he found certain remarks from Sotomayor regarding policymaking from the bench to be "troubling."

Sessions said, however, he does not anticipate a filibuster against the nomination. He said it was "possible" he could support Sotomayor's nomination -- even though he opposed her appeals court nomination in 1998 -- and that she "has a good resume."

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) in a statement Tuesday listed the same reservations as Sessions over the nomination. Inhofe said Sotomayor's personal story is "truly inspiring," but he is concerned about whether she would refrain from "legislating from the bench."

"Some of her recent comments on this matter have given me cause for great concern," he said. "In the months ahead, it will be important for those of us in the U.S. Senate to weigh her qualifications and character as well as her ability to rule fairly without undue influence from her own personal race, gender, or political preferences."

Some anti-abortion rights activists have been hesistant to criticize Sotomayor strongly, but are urging senators to take a close look at her history, the Politico reports.

The National Right to Life Committee in a statement cautioned senators against acting on the nomination "with undue haste," noting that little is known about her views regarding abortion. Bruce Hausknecht, a judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action, also told Politico that "with Sotomayor, we have to take a wait-and-see attitude."

Other anti-abortion rights groups, however, are calling on Republicans to filibuster the nomination, the Politico reports -- including Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry, who is appealing to Republicans as well as Democrats opposed to abortion rights to block the nomination. Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, also favors a filibuster.

"The Republicans have got to take a stand on this one," Robertson said. "If they don't, they can kiss their chances of ever getting back into power away."

Limbaugh excoriated moderate Republicans like Colin Powell and Tom Ridge for not speaking out against Sotomayor's nomination, calling the judge a "reverse racist."

"Obama is the greatest living example of a reverse racist, and now he's appointed one...to the U.S. Supreme Court," he said on his radio show Tuesday. "So now he's got a hack. He got a party hack that he's put on the court that's likely to be confirmed. This is where the so-called moderate Republicans are completely useless, if you ask me... We are confronting a radical assault on this nation, a radical assault today on the U.S. Supreme Court, and moderates in the Republican party are distracting our ability to organize the opposition."

Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich is also calling Sotomayor a racist. Gingrich wrote from his Twitter account: "White man racist nominee would be forced to withdraw. Latina woman racist should also withdraw."

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee also had strong words against Sotomayor's nomination on his political action committee's web site: "The appointment of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court is the clearest indication yet that President Obama's campaign promises to be a centrist and think in a bi-partisan way were mere rhetoric," reads Huckabee's statement. "Sotomayor comes from the far left and will likely leave us with something akin to the 'Extreme Court' that could mark a major shift."

The Politico noted that the statement first referred to the nominee as "Maria Sotomayor," but the error was quickly corrected.

Sonia Sotomayor: More Coverage And Analysis






Add a Comment See all 271 Comments
by diver6911 June 11, 2009 2:24 PM EDT
It doesn't matter which side you are on, if the other side is nominating you have to protest.

There will never be a person that the other side will say great person! The beliefs are different. Keeping the court balanced keeps extremes in either direction in check. If you dont have the votes to block her nomination why waste our tax dollars to put on a show. Just protest put your no vote on the ballet and lets move on.
Reply to this comment
by bajajohn1 June 5, 2009 1:20 AM EDT
Oy yes, let us not forget Limbaugh: He is playing the Repubs like a fiddle. Limbaugh reminds me of Jabba the Hut; fat, ugly and eating raw frogs. What a Repig.
Reply to this comment
by bajajohn1 June 5, 2009 1:17 AM EDT
What is really nasty about people like Sessions complaining about alleged racial remarks, as well as that other Southern cracker named Lindsey Graham, is that both or from one of the most racially-troubled areas of the country--the deep South. How pathetic this two hypocrites are: where were they when Blacks were being treated violently, lynched, beat up and their homes burned. Where were they when Jim Crow justice blamed Blacks for crimes committed by White men? Methinks they doth protest too much! Maybe they had better cool it before we start investigating everything they have said, either privately or in public. Session, Graham and George Wallace--triplets you say?
Reply to this comment
by SAMTORRES66 May 30, 2009 2:12 PM EDT
Limbaugh . Holy smokes.. what kind of A$$holes listed to this A$$Hole???...
Reply to this comment
by SAMTORRES66 May 30, 2009 2:09 PM EDT
SOTOMAYOR is going to straight out all the right wing KKK white guys......LOL......
Reply to this comment
by rednomo May 28, 2009 11:23 AM EDT
I am constantly amazed at how the far right is still locked into the Rove (slander and smear) playbook:

1) Attack the persons greatest strength: John Kerry - war hero (swift boated), John McCain - adopted baby (African-American ?love child?), Sonia Sotomayor - minority (racist)...and on it goes.

2) Attack the messenger not the message: Joe Wilson, Richard Clark, all the above...
Reply to this comment
by rednomo May 28, 2009 10:56 AM EDT
And Reagan appointee Sandra Day O'Connor was sexist??

If your world view is determined by race, you are probably a racist. They can take half-statements of Sotomayor's and twist them anyway they want; but it is the "twisting" that defines the racist.
Reply to this comment
by mattcat25 May 28, 2009 10:22 AM EDT
The Republican Party always resorts to stirring up emotions instead of rational debate.

This particular Supreme Court Nomination will sail through the Senate on an obvious (to everyone except the people on the Right Wing suffering from FOX Poisoning) UP or Down Vote!

Upperdown
Upperdown
Upperdown
Upperdown
Reply to this comment
by evilbusheviks May 28, 2009 10:12 AM EDT
"Just ask the white firemen she discriminatied against"

posted by jedi0849
****************

Seems as if you're calling both the city and lower courts that Sonia Sotomayor UPHELD, racists as well.

Did both the city of New Haven and the lower courts act in a discriminatory way also?

Actually, I'd be very surprised if a right-leaning SCOTUS with a majority of white CONServitard men wouldn't overturn this opinion that New Haven, lower courts and appelate courts all agreed with! This would just prove how the CONServitards justices are the "activists," and "legislating from the bench."
Reply to this comment
by dbaecht May 28, 2009 9:57 AM EDT
What i find funny is, the republicans and right wingers all talk about how bad, liberals are. I have news for them if it wasn't for a bunch of liberal thinking founding fathers, we would still be a english colony.
The Constititution, Declaration of Independance and the Bill of Rights arer about as liberal a set of documents as you will find anywhere. Think about it, "For the people, of the people, by the people" liberal concept, "all men are created equal" liberal concept", freedom of religion", liberal, you get the idea.
Reply to this comment
See all 271 Comments
.

Follow Political Hotsheet

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...