Grassley: Sotomayor Off to a "Good Start"

By: Kevin Hechtkopf
Topics: Washington Unplugged

(CBS)

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said during today's edition of "Washington Unplugged" that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotmayor is off to a "good start" during her confirmation hearings.

Grassley, one of the top Republicans on the Senate Judiciary committee, made particular note of what Sotomayor said regarding "fidelity to the law" in her opening statement yesterday.

"She knows a major problem she has before our committee is making sure that she's going to be dispassionate and not be a judicial activist," Grassley told host Nancy Cordes.

"This is a good start down the road of showing that she is dispassionate as a judge should be," he added.

Grassley did not reveal which way he was going to vote on the nomination.

"I have a responsibility to be just as dispassionate towards her being a nominee as I expect her to be dispassionate… when she becomes a justice," Grassley said.

He added: "If I told you which way I was going to vote, why should I be questioning her today?"

You can watch the full video below. Grassley also addresses his views on Sotomayor's answers on abortion and affirmative action. And he talks about health care reform, saying he is still trying to get a bipartisan deal with Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.

Kevin Hechtkopf
Kevin Hechtkopf is CBSNews.com's politics editor.
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by bajajohn1 July 14, 2009 10:09 PM EDT: Well, Grassley, for the most part demonstrates level-headedness. Too bad for Kyl and Graham, their twin mugging of a fine jurist, will certainly remind Hispanics where their better interests lie come election time. Based upon today's personal insults from Graham, if ever a doubt existed as to not voting for a Republican, as an Hispanic professtional, well, all doubt has been removed.; Reply to this comment


by Solarrays247 July 14, 2009 4:54 PM EDT: Sorry to bust your bubble, but, no, nothing has gone wrong with our partisan politicians, midwest_mind. Unfortunately, same games...different day, that's all.

The explanation is quite simple. Grassley can afford to wait until the end to announce his vote...for you see, there are no money lobbyists involved in the Sotomayor issue. Therefore, since no monies are involved, he can be at liberty to keep everyone guessing. And I don't have a problem with that.

However, I do have a problem regarding the health care reform issue that he brought up, and for which he is mentioned as one of our "noble" politicians who has received a great deal of "legal bribes" from the health insurance company lobbyists. The latest figures that I have(which are not a secret) lists the amount of $884,724 paid into Chuckie's campaign coffers, courtesy of those pesky lobbyists. Chuck Grassley is in the company of both Democrats and Republicans regarding these "legal bribes." Actually, Chuck has received the least amount of monies from the health insurance company "representatives." Evidently it was enough money to easily sway his vote, however!

So, pardon me if I'm not impressed with this show!; Reply to this comment

by midwest_mind July 14, 2009 4:01 PM EDT

Wow, what a concept. There's a member of the Senate who is actually going to wait until the hearings are completed before deciding which way he will vote? Clearly something has gone horribly wrong with our partisan politicians. We must stamp out this streak of rationality before it grows and infects our entire leadership!

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by antoniof123 July 14, 2009 4:26 PM EDT: Oh my God a Republican with a brain this is going to cost him. Want to bet he loses his place on the Rush hour.


by stn_sage July 14, 2009 9:53 PM EDT: To midwest_mind & antonio123:

I hope you two are being sarcastic and aren't serious!

If you are, you'll be sadly mistaken. The only reason he's 'playing nice' today, is he made himself look like an insane, partisan GOP'er a couple of weeks ago, when he accused Obama of going on vacation in
Europe, and said that Congress was doing the work and he wasn't!

So, today he's trying to pretend he's rational, not partisan (he is), and should be re-elected (he shouldn't be).

Normally, she doesn't 'have a prayer' of getting his vote, but if polls suggest Iowans want her, in order to get re-elected, he'll vote for her!

Personally, this guy needs to go! He was a RABID supporter of Bush and has fought AGAINST health care for all Americans for decades!

We need Iowans to do their part to help clean up government!