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Not political? Guess again

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New York Mayor Bloomberg testifies during the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Sotomayor on C Reuters – New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg testifies during the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing …

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said at one point today that "politics has no place in the courtroom." But Sessions must not be watching the Supreme Court very closely.

At the high court, many cases on the most controversial social and political issues, including the historic Bush v. Gore decision that helped settle the 2000 election, are decided by 5-4 votes. The only thing that changes from case to case is whether Justice Anthony Kennedy lines up with the liberals or the conservatives.

Call it what you will, judicial philosophy, ideology or whatever. It sometimes looks like politics.

-Mark Sherman, AP reporter, Supreme Court