Politics

Conyers: GOP in "Hopeless Position"

By Brian Montopoli

July 14, 2009 / 4:10 PM EDT / CBS News

(AP)

At the NAACP convention Tuesday, CBSNews.com asked Representative John Conyers, Jr., a Michigan Democrat and the longest serving African-American in Congress, whether Republicans need to be careful in their questioning of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

Some have suggested the GOP must walk a difficult line as it seeks to question the nominee in a way that does not alienating Hispanic voters.

"I hope they aren't" careful, Conyers quipped.

"Yes, they are in a difficult position," he said. "They are in a hopeless position. I mean, look, the Republican Party is disintegrating in front of our eyes."

Conyers then took a shot at former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

"When the most prominent spokesperson is a wonderful, soon to be ex-governor from Alaska, the party is on the verge of going out of business," he said.