Sotomayor Becomes First Hispanic Justice

(CBS/AP)  Last updated 11:36 a.m. ET.

Sonia Maria Sotomayor was sworn in this morning as the first Hispanic, and the third woman, to sit on the United States Supreme Court.

Chief Justice John Roberts administered the Judicial Oath in the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court.

Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's first High Court appointee, becomes the 111th Supreme Court Justice.

As a successor to liberal Justice David Souter, who has retired, she is not expected to alter the court's ideological balance.

Roberts presided at two ceremonies Saturday officially making Sotomayor a high court justice, a lifetime appointment.

In a private ceremony in the justices' conference room, Roberts administered an oath that the Constitution requires of all federal officials, to "support and defend" the Constitution.

Then, in a public ceremony, he gave Sotomayor a second oath in which she pledged to "administer justice" fairly and impartially, as prescribed by a 220-year-old federal law.

President Obama scheduled a White House reception for Sotomayor on Wednesday.

Sotomayor, 55, has been a federal judge for 17 years. Obama nominated her in May, and the Senate confirmed Sotomayor's nomination Thursday by a 68-31 vote.

Sotomayor can get to work after she takes the oaths, although the court won't hear arguments until Sept. 9, in a key campaign finance case.

The entire court will convene a day earlier, however, for a formal ceremony to welcome Sotomayor. Many presidents have been on hand to see their nominees take their seat on the Supreme Court bench for the first time. President George W. Bush attended Roberts' ceremony in October 2005.

Sotomayor is the daughter of Puerto Rican parents who was raised in a housing project in New York City's gritty South Bronx neighborhood and educated at the elite universities Princeton and Yale before going on to success in the legal profession and then the federal bench.

[enwr77]

This is beautiful. She is an excellent choice.

The Court is to rule if Congress passed laws that are consitutional. That is a check and balance. It is therefore a conflict of interest for Congress to tell the Court how to rule.

[reveal5]

Reference my above post.

[reveal5]

Many are racist in America. Their fear and loathing needs outlet. Mrs. Sotomayor is an iconic figure because of her race. Those who are paranoid, self loathing, fearful. contemptuous, antisocial may rationalise their symptomology. They may decide there are good reasons for their antisocial and fear based maladjustments. The rationalization is that they believe they are truly a superior individual; An individual of a superior race, who must protect the world from inferior human beings. It is all a witches' brew of psychological counterbalance. Counterbalance for fear, contempt, self loathing, antisocialism, and deeply ingrained feelings of inferiority and insecurity. The maladjusted counterbalancing mechanism is a self perceived image of superiority.

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money]

There are countries leaded by Latino,
you can simply move there
Since Latina is wiser than white men,
those countries must be greater
Now change is finally here to uplift USA

... "leaded" says it all
I'd be tempted to say ESL says it all
I'd be tempted to say that i-tuna said nothing at all

Okay, we have a good first verse and a solid chorus. Somebody come up with a hook!


Copyright, 2009

Lyrics: i-tuna August 9, 2009 5:13 AM EDT, abbe91 August 9, 2009 6:36 AM EDT, Lawyers-Guns-n-Money August 9, 2009 10:38 AM EDT, woeisme1 August 9, 2009 10:45 AM EDT

[woeisme1]

In the last two voting cycles, the republicans have had 19 members of their party resign their elected positions early. That's half the number of Senators they now have!

What is it about the republican party that even well respected members of their own political persuasion are walking away from their own party?

I wonder what enriquegonzales and the other mental midget republican misfits have to say to that.

[anticristvs]

Poor Repigs
Even Texas is becoming a battleground state
you cant wash away the SHRUB/Delay stink...

[specialty8]

Another Obama "historical" moment.How many more historical moments can we take.

[YCantWeAllGetAlong]

At least they aren't going on about the first black president who isn't black for a few days. Who cares if she's Hispanic? The media force us all to be racists. I wonder when the rest of the world is going to figure that out.

[i-tuna]

Why a Latina in the court make you so excited? There are countries leaded by Latino, you can simply move there and enjoy the wise Latino governments. Since Latina is wiser than white men, those countries must be greater, richer than USA anyways. Too bad white men has been leading USA for 200 years and make it so weak and poor, thanks to their bad judgment. Now change is finally here to uplift USA to be like some Latino countries. Thank you God.

[abbe91]

... "leaded" ?
It says it all.

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money]

by abbe91 August 9, 2009 6:36 AM EDT
... "leaded" ?
It says it all.
==========================

I'd be tempted to say ESL says it all.

[picklepants7]

leave it to the dumbs to elect someone so under qaulifed. i understand that you dems rule now and, and that you get to elect one of your own. i have no problem with that. you won, you should reep the rewards. but for the life of me, why not elect a scholar, an expert, or a historian, to the bench. she is sooo below par. you could have done way better. i would have loved to see someone as respected as a earl warren, or somewhere along those lines.

[johnbrown8888]

"Punkin-Head" Alito.

Gonzo the AG.

Harriet Miers.

'Nuff said.