June 2, 2009 8:15 PM
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Graham: "Bullying" Sotomayor Should Apologize
Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a senior Republican on the Judiciary committee which will likely confirm Supreme Court hopeful Sonia Sotomayor this summer, harshly criticized the nominee's 2001 remarks that a Latina would make "better" decisions than a white man.
"That statement did not strike me particularly appropriate," the senator told CBS News' Political Consultant John Dickerson Tuesday, ahead of his meeting with the nominee.
"As a matter of fact, I thought it was inappropriate," he said. "I think she deserves a second chance [but] I don't know if I would have gotten one."
The senator, in the most damning words yet from a senator, said he will not be basing his entire decision on the remarks but thinks Sotomayor should apologize.
"I think it needs to be addressed and...she needs to apologize because it offended me," he admitted to Dickerson.
Graham said that as a white male he has been "knocked around" but conceded that other Americans have been through "far worse."
"To say those experiences make one better, a person better than anyone else is just not what you want in a judge," he argued.
Graham said, "[I]f I find myself in court, I want to believe that that judge is going to fairly evaluate me and quite frankly she's got to convince me if I found myself in litigation with a Latina woman, that I'd get a fair shake."
Dickerson bluntly asked the senator if he thinks he will get an apology Wednesday in his one-on-one meeting with Sotomayor.
"I'll leave that up to her," Graham responded.
He said he wants a judge to receive good marks from the lawyers with whom they have worked.
"I don't like bully judges and her evaluations from those who have appeared before her are troubling. She seems at times arrogant and bullying," he said.
The senator assured Dickerson that he will bring up not so glowing evaluations from lawyers in their meeting.
"That statement did not strike me particularly appropriate," the senator told CBS News' Political Consultant John Dickerson Tuesday, ahead of his meeting with the nominee.
"As a matter of fact, I thought it was inappropriate," he said. "I think she deserves a second chance [but] I don't know if I would have gotten one."
The senator, in the most damning words yet from a senator, said he will not be basing his entire decision on the remarks but thinks Sotomayor should apologize.
"I think it needs to be addressed and...she needs to apologize because it offended me," he admitted to Dickerson.
Graham said that as a white male he has been "knocked around" but conceded that other Americans have been through "far worse."
"To say those experiences make one better, a person better than anyone else is just not what you want in a judge," he argued.
Graham said, "[I]f I find myself in court, I want to believe that that judge is going to fairly evaluate me and quite frankly she's got to convince me if I found myself in litigation with a Latina woman, that I'd get a fair shake."
Dickerson bluntly asked the senator if he thinks he will get an apology Wednesday in his one-on-one meeting with Sotomayor.
"I'll leave that up to her," Graham responded.
He said he wants a judge to receive good marks from the lawyers with whom they have worked.
"I don't like bully judges and her evaluations from those who have appeared before her are troubling. She seems at times arrogant and bullying," he said.
The senator assured Dickerson that he will bring up not so glowing evaluations from lawyers in their meeting.
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