Throughout the day today and tomorrow and perhaps Wednesday, MPR is broadcasting Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, paying special attention to the voices of our Minnesota Senators Klobuchar and newly-seated Franken. Listen in to the live coverage on air or online with political analysts' analysis during the breaks, and add your comments here.
These hearings have been a long time coming, and Sotomayor has definitely faced public scrutiny. She's been criticized for saying that a woman would and should fundamentally come to different legal conclusions than a man, and she has been critiqued for her record as a federal judge. She's also been injured. What do you think of her record? What about her position as a woman, and the first Hispanic woman on the Court?
This is also one of the first tasks newly-seated Senator Franken will undertake as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. How do expect that he will fare? What do you think we can expect from him?
This is an open discussion, so you're welcome to link to your related Gather articles or other online resources. Your comments & articles may be quoted on http://minnesota.publicradio.org/your_voice/ or on mpr.org.
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Eliza Hartley
Digital Media Intern
Minnesota Public Radio
American Public Media
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Coming up at 1 CDT, Senator Amy Klobuchar gives opening remarks at the Senate hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Be sure to listen in!
Hello Eliza.
I had the opportunity to listen to newly elected Minnesota Senator Al Franken speak at the confirmation hearing for Sonya Sotomayor.
As everyone waiting with baited breath, waiting for some kind of comedic punchline, Senator Franken blew me away with his remarks.
They were dignified, well thought-out, well researched and showed that not only to the GOP have a new adversary, but the Democrats will have to deal with a independent thinking new Senator from the great state of Minnesota.
I was impressed. Really impressed.
I was wondering how the newest member of the Senate could obtain such an important position in the Judiciary Committee. I no longer wonder, but look forward to his contributions.
I think he will fare well, hold his own and be an asset to the Democratic Party for years to come.
I'd like to invite you to join our group and post our articles. I look forward to reading more of your posts and comments.
Lloyd
Barack Obama's Presidential Appointments, Bills and Policies. (Join Our Group and Post Your Articles. We Love Opposing Points of Views)
Thanks for the comment, Lloyd. I'll do what I can--being affiliated with MPR is somewhat limiting, but I love to gather people's opinions and see how these discussions take shape!
Klobuchar's introduction to Sotomayor is on right now. Heart-warming rendition and summary of Sotomayor's life, relating it to the lives of other Supreme Court justices.
I think Sotomayor will make a splendid Justice. It's sad that we have had to do without people from all ethnic, religious, and social class backgrounds on the Court for this long. How can the Court hope to do a good job when its members are all the same in most ways.
I don't know enough about Franken to say.
Good point, Larry. You can probably judge from my comments, but I think Sen. Klobuchar would agree with you (though she hasn't straight out said it).
Klobuchar seems to give Sotomayor credit for her individualized perspective as it comes out of her life experiences...
What do you think?
Minnesta Sen. Al Franken makes his debut now! Listen in to his introduction to the committee, and his questions for Sotomayor.
Franken was just interrupted. Not sure what it was as Gary Eichten, who is hosting the programming, just reported.
Franken seems to be focusing on his wariness of judicial activism, and that he's afraid it's been improperly defined in the past few years. He also brought up the importance of the protection of Americans' individual rights. He says in the past decade, it has become harder for Americans to defend themselves. What do you think? Do you agree with him? Is this what you expected from him?
MPR's radio coverage starts up again tomorrow at 9 a.m. CDT, though live hearings start at 9:30 a.m. EDT. But right now, check out Today's Question on MPR NewsQ, one our new features: What question would you ask Sonia Sotomayor? It's all part of MPR's complete coverage of the hearings over the next couple of days. Let's continue the discussion!
Franken knows that everything he says is going into the arsenal for the competition in 4-5 years.
Ms. Sotomayor? Is justice supposed to be blind? Why should it matter what color or gender a person if you are supposed to enforce the law equally?
Wow a whole day telling her about her life. Did she forget it?
Franken will be like no other democrat before him, a fighter. I just love his book Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them. HE CALLED FAUX NOISE LIARS AND WON HIS LIBEL SUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Any other news org would go under but Faux Noise listeners are NOT interested in the truth anyway.
It really infuriates me that Jeff Sessions and Rush Limpugh call Sotomayor a racist. Rush can't get a job anywhere else because his Racist rhetoric keeps getting him fired. Sessions tried prosecuting blacks for voting and once called a caucasian civil rights lawyer "a disgrace to his race"
Sessions also said the KKK was not a bad organization.
At this hearing, more people will be listening to what the racist Sessions will be trying to pull. We know he opposes civil rights and voting rights for minorities, a typical bigotted Republican.
Haha, amusing, Charles.
Rude - racist accusations are always undoubtedly horrible. Have you been listening to the hearings? Sounds like you and Winston might be on the same page with regard to this topic.
Remember to keep up with the hearings by listening live on air or online at MPR NewsQ. Check out the latest on the AP wire as well: Sotomayor defends controversial statements.
Gary Eichten's on air right now, covering more of the confirmation hearings. He's talking to two constitutional law professors right now before the hearings resume at 1 p.m. The professors teach at the university of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin Madison. Listen in!
I'm afraid Franken will stop being funny - trying to behave. And his mere existence will irritate the "Big Fat Liar" to no end. he he
And Sotomayor has to grin and bear it a while longer while that bigot Sessions talks down at her. After she gets the job she probably won't have to talk to him anymore. She's biding her time right now.
"And Sotomayor has to grin and bear it a while longer while that bigot Sessions talks down at her. After she gets the job she probably won't have to talk to him anymore. She's biding her time right now."
Hello Peter.
You have a fundamentally sound understanding of how the "game" is played.
Cheers to you.
Hey guys. Yeah, Peter, I've almost constantly heard people's opinions on Franken's seriousness, either good or bad. I love that you still find humor in him, though ;)
I'm not sure I'm allowed to frame questions this way, but...has Sessions really treated her that badly?
How Sessions treats her, and how much she has to fight to keep from making an irritated face when he drills her on her racism, is all a matter of opinion, I guess. One side will say he has every right. Another mindset will say he's such a hypocrite to be the one to ask her such questions.
Republicans seem to want to paint her as icky and an abuser of white firemen (who suddenly need protected) but they really don't have all that much on her at all. So even with Sessions getting a bit loud, it's rather boring.
Everyone expected Al Franken to be angry and outspoken after the initial elections. However he sat back and remained calm and allowed Norm Coleman to dig his own hole. He was very dignified when he was finally allowed to claim his victory. I think that Senator Franken will end up being one of the most dignified and civilized members of the Senate. Senator Klobuchar has come across very well in this also. She is very sharp and will continue to be a rising star. As for Judge Sotomayor, she has the patience of a saint. If were a member of a racial minority and had to sit and listen to racists calling me racist, I don't know if I could take it.Her words have been taken out of context and her political opponents have applied their own meaning to them. Such attacks are frustrating but she will win in the end. Her confirmation hearing should prove to be another exposure of Republican hypocrisy.
Hey, Holly. Welcome to the conversation! You're right. It would be difficult to take prejudice, especially as a woman of her stature.
Interesting point you make about Franken becoming one of the most civilized Senators. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!
Hearings have resumed. Right now--discussion of the Fifth Amendment and rights to take private property.
It will take a while for Franken to be his own guy. Right now he is being fed all his lines and told what to do.
You probably have a point there. He is the only member of Judiciary Committee with no background in law.
But with wit he could end up the next Mark Twain type.
Also a good point.
I also think that with the money spent on him for his legal challange, he doesn't get to think for himself but for the people who donated the money.
Sotomayor has been a trial judge. It's notable that none of the current crop of Supreme Court Justices has ever done that. We have been long mired in the process of judges hiding their paper trails on the way to the Supreme. With Sotomayor you know what you are getting in every sense. She is a moderate and brilliant and hard working judge. What's wrong with that? Her detractors are grasping at straws.
Franken will not be the best Senator when he takes his seat. But he won't be the worst, not by a long sight. I think that would have to be James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who once noted that the Jews have the right to the land of Israel because it says so in the Bible, and who has long been a leading figure in the climate change denial movement ("climate change is a scam") despite having no training in science.
If you think Franken will lower the tone, you are not aware of some of the guys there already.
Sotomayor is on the catwalk now...the Senators are going through the motions...she's in like Flint. No Alito or Bork here...strickly shadow boxing. I won't be watching since her bio doesn't interest me in the least. Get ready to welcome Ginsburg II.
Sotomayor hearings...nothing, folks...just move along.
Just 31 votes but you get the drift....
Do you think the senators are being too tough or too easy on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor during the confirmation hearings?
Response Percent Votes
Too tough 3% 1 vote
Just right 12% 4 votes
Too easy 80% 25 votes
Other 3% 1 vote
http://www.washingtontimes.com/polls/2009/jul/do-you-think-senators-are-being-too-tough-or-too-e/results/
Winston - What is the definition of a politician or a public servant?
You're right, Chris. She does bring a singular depth and breadth of experience. Nearly every large media outlet is noting again and again that she has more experience than any Justice in 100 years. Also interesting point about Franken--he is getting quite varying opinions about his current seriousness.
Great poll, Felix! Thanks for sharing it with us. What do you think Judge Sotomayor should be asked?
Our own junior senator from Minnesota, Al Franken, is receiving his first chance to question the judge today. He will be the last senator to do so this afternoon. Be sure to listen in!
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is up now! Listen in.
Klobuchar is asking Sotomayor about her history as a criminal defense attorney. Sotomayor: "Pay attention to education...it's a lesson I continue to promote...its value is not lost on me...key to improving our societies."
Later, Sotomayor again: "We cannot remedy the ills of society in a courtroom." Love that.
Check out this recap of Klobuchar's questioning written by MPR's Elizabeth Baier.