A "Perry Mason" Moment in the Confirmation Hearings

The Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor are expected to wrap up Thursday with a full vote early next month. There was a "Perry Mason" moment at the hearings today.

"I was a big fan of 'Perry Mason,'" said Al Franken, the junior senator from Minnesota who took office only last week.

Apparently neither one of them would do very well on a "Perry Mason" trivia quiz.

"What was the one case in 'Perry Mason' that [Hamilton] Burger [the district attorney] won?" Franken asked.

"I wish I remembered the name of the episode, but I don't," Sotomayor said. "I just was always struck that there was only one case where his client was actually guilty."

"And you don't remember that case?" Franken asked.

"I know that I should remember the name of it, but I haven't looked at the episode," Sotomayor said.

"Didn't the White House prepare you for that?" Franken asked laughing.

Senator Franken didn't know either – but CBS News looked it up – it was the "Case of the Deadly Verdict."


Watch the exchange below.


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