View from the @AP_Courtside insider

During the lunch break, we chatted with Laurie Kellman, our AP reporter serving as your eyes and ears inside the Judiciary Committee hearing room.

Q: What's your take on the hearing so far?

A: They're pretty predictable. The Republicans went on her harder than expected though. The Democrats are pretty much repeating the talking points that they have been repeating for weeks. The interesting part will be when she speaks after lunch.

Q: How well is Sotomayor getting around the room? (She broke her ankle and is wearing a cast.)

A:  She's getting around the room well and people have been giving her hand. She hasn't needed crutches.

Q: What's the room like?

A: It's a little chilly. Very crowded ... the hearing room is so quiet and the speech-making is very monotonous. When the protesters shouted, it was startling.

Q: Where is Sen. Arlen Specter right now? (The Pennsylvania Democrat wasn't in the hearing room all morning.)

A: He's been on the committee a lot longer than the other members of the committee. He knows he won't speak until after lunch. His spokeswomen says he's back in the office.

Stay tuned, and send Kellman questions on Twitter at @AP_Courtside.

-Beth Davidz, AP reporter, Washington