Unplugged: Reaction to the Sotomayor Hearing
The start of Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings today marked an opportunity for Democrats to defend President Obama's nomination and Republicans to attack the nomination based on information that has been released so far.
On today's episode of Washington Unplugged, CBS News political consultant John Dickerson sat down with a group political analysts to discuss the first day of Sotomayor's Senate confirmation hearings.
While Democrats focused solely on her judicial records, Republicans have been highlighting speeches and instances from her life.
CBS Supreme Court correspondent Wyatt Andrews said that the GOP's focus on speeches shows that the Republicans "don't have the ammunition" to fight her judicial records. Additionally, he noted that a lot of Republicans have actually praised her and some are likely to vote in her favor.
Stuart Taylor, a senior writer at National Journal, notes that, while Andrews' argument echoes Democratic sentiment, Republicans are nevertheless continuing this tactic, asking "what will happen when nobody's in charge but her?"
The group also addressed Sotomayor's ability to empathize, her "wise latina" comment, and the probability of her confirmation. CBS News' Nancy Cordes also discussed the CIA controversy circulating around former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Joining Dickenson were Taylor, Andrews, CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, Republican Lawyers Association representative Cleta Mitchell, and Legal Director of the Alliance for Justice Bill Yeomans. You can watch the full espisode above.
On today's episode of Washington Unplugged, CBS News political consultant John Dickerson sat down with a group political analysts to discuss the first day of Sotomayor's Senate confirmation hearings.
While Democrats focused solely on her judicial records, Republicans have been highlighting speeches and instances from her life.
CBS Supreme Court correspondent Wyatt Andrews said that the GOP's focus on speeches shows that the Republicans "don't have the ammunition" to fight her judicial records. Additionally, he noted that a lot of Republicans have actually praised her and some are likely to vote in her favor.
Stuart Taylor, a senior writer at National Journal, notes that, while Andrews' argument echoes Democratic sentiment, Republicans are nevertheless continuing this tactic, asking "what will happen when nobody's in charge but her?"
The group also addressed Sotomayor's ability to empathize, her "wise latina" comment, and the probability of her confirmation. CBS News' Nancy Cordes also discussed the CIA controversy circulating around former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Joining Dickenson were Taylor, Andrews, CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, Republican Lawyers Association representative Cleta Mitchell, and Legal Director of the Alliance for Justice Bill Yeomans. You can watch the full espisode above.
