18 seconds ago 2009-12-19T11:42:02-08:00
Say this for the party-switching Pennsylvania senator: Arlen Specter is never boring.
The Democrat may be sandwiched between freshmen with his seniority stripped, but no one would mistake him for a junior senator.
Specter, 79, is plowing through his 30 minutes of questioning time like the prosecutor and former chairman he once was, cutting off Sotomayor when she strays off topic or even hems and haws. ("I know you're not going to answer ... so we'll move on," he said at one point.) He chaired the previous two Supreme Court confirmation hearings, which is one more than current Chairman Patrick Leahy has. He's also been the lead Republican questioner, a post now held by Sen. Jeff Sessions, R- Ala.
If his confident manner doesn't tip off people to his experience and no-nonsense style, this might: "I was the chairman who wasn't notified," he said at one point, referring to the Bush administration's terrorism fighting programs.
-Laurie Kellman, AP reporter, Congress
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Sotomayor's mom missing?
Wed Jul 15, 2:25 pm ET
Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy noticed that Sonia Sotomayor's mother -- after sitting silently for two and a half days -- didn't return from lunch.
"Judge, what did you do with your mother?" he asked. Sotomayor smiled and said: "She needed a short break -- but it wasn't because of Sen. Specter or Franken."
Arlen Specter and Al Franken are the final senators to speak in the first round of questioning.
-Larry Margasak, AP reporter, Congress
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Our insider's take
Wed Jul 15, 2:18 pm ET
At the lunch break, we did a quick interview with our -- your -- reporter in the Sotomayor hearing room today, veteran AP congressional reporter Larry Margasak. Here's the exchange.
Q: What's your take on what happened this morning?
A: Republicans kept up the theme that her speeches smacked of judicial activism and tried -- unsuccessfully -- to smoke out her views on gun ownership and abortion. They were playing to their conservative audience, knowing full well that they wouldn't get answers. They hope they didn't do anything to anger Hispanic voters. Democrats threw softballs that allowed her to explain her thinking, including her reasons for an appeals panel's very brief ruling overturning a New Haven firefighters test. Democrats also were playing to Hispanic voters, saying repeatedly how proud they were that someone with such a great American story was sitting before them.
Q: Any big surprises or memorable moments?
A: Tom Coburn had some clever questions. Instead of asking if she was ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, she asked Sotomayor what she would do if a woman was 38 months pregnant and the fetus developed spina bifida, which can cause paralysis and is often associated with brain damage.
When questioning her about gun control, he asked if he personally had a right to defend himself. Sotomayor refused to bite on the abortion question. And she said the gun question depends on the circumstances.
Shooting someone after the immediate threat was over, she said, wouldn't be legal.
Q: What were the Republicans trying to accomplish? Did they succeed?
A: Their conservative audience would probably think so. However, if they were expecting a meltdown, it didn't happen. Sotomayor never got rattled.
Q: How about the Democrats? Did they succeed?
A: Yes, but their job is easy. They only have to praise her to satisfy their base.
Q: Sotomayor seems to actually be pretty comfortable in that chair. How do you think she's handling Day 3?
A: She is totally calm and prepared. She gestures with her hands. She's quick with responses. She hasn't made any blunders. She even joked briefly with one of the most conservative Republicans, Coburn.
-Liz Sidoti, AP reporter, politics
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Coburn 'splains
Wed Jul 15, 1:54 pm ET
So what does Sen. Tom Coburn have to say about his quip telling Sotomayor she'd have some "'splainin' to do"? His spokesman John Hart e-mailed this:
"I suspect Justice Sotomayor will not appreciate reporters ginning up an ethnic controversy on her behalf. Judge Sotomayor was, in a light-hearted manner, discussing shooting Dr. Coburn with a gun in the context of a serious discussion about the right to self defense and the Second Amendment. If Judge Sotomayor was offended by Dr. Coburn's light-hearted response I'm sure Dr. Coburn will apologize to her."
And yes, he called her "Justice." We suspect that was a typo -- not anticipating her confirmation.
-Jesse J. Holland, AP reporter, Supreme Court
Sen. Tom Coburn (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
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Up next: the comedian and the prosecutor
Wed Jul 15, 1:35 pm ET
In a multi-day hearing that's been fairly fireworks-free, this afternoon should offer up some interesting exchanges -- and maybe even a bit of levity.
It's lunchtime in the hearing room right now but the senators and the nominee will return at 2 p.m. EDT. The first round of questioning will end with perhaps the two most-anticipated questioners -- Sens. Arlen Specter and Al Franken.
Be forewarned: Both are Democrats. But one, Specter, is unpredictable, and the other, Franken, is untested. So, even if you're bored, it may be smart to stay tuned.
Specter is a former Judiciary Committee chairman. The Pennsylvania senator was a Republican for decades -- until recently, when he crossed over the aisle. Yet, he also has a fierce independent streak and is a master in questioning witnesses. That means he's sure to be thorough in questioning Sotomayor -- and fun to watch.
Franken has been a senator for just a few days. He's a former "Saturday Night Live" comedian out to prove that he takes his new career seriously. So there won't be many laughs -- but count on at least a grin or two from this Minnesota senator. Funny is this guy's nature.
-Liz Sidoti, AP reporter, politics
Sen. Arlen Specter and Sen. Al Franken (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
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Wed Jul 15, 1:30 pm ET
Nothing like a little schmoozing before a senator heads to the cameras.
After Chairman Patrick Leahy recessed for lunch, Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter made a beeline for Sotomayor's family. Finding her mother Celia, he remarked, "She's as beautiful as you."
Then he split for the lectern -- and the bank of cameras lined up outside the room.
-Laurie Kellman, AP reporter, Congress
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Wed Jul 15, 1:25 pm ET
How to explain what appeared to be a shout-out to Ricky Ricardo of "I Love Lucy" fame by Sen. Tom Coburn? We're asking for your feedback via @reply on Twitter to @AP_Courtside about the comment to Sotomayor that "You'll have a lot of 'splainin' to do."
Some of your comments:
ranggrol: @AP_Courtside - My take on it is that the only Hispanic that Sen. Coburn has ever known is Desi Arnaz. (He's the actor who played Ricardo on the show.)
KerryMalone: Ugh.
nsjones11: @AP_Courtside Coburn comment was in jest. I Love Lucy is a wonderful part of our pop culture national fabric. Quoting The Beatles: Let it Be
User @gillman75 took issue with the AP's story about it, we asked for elaboration.
gillman75: AP's article seemed to say "yeah, sure it was inappropriate, but he doesn't know any better" guy's a senator.
gillman75: If someone had said to Clarence Thomas that his testimony was "DY-NO-MITE!" it would have been rightly called racist, no?
Keep the feedback coming to @AP_Courtside.
-Burt Herman, AP editor
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Baseball talk, yet again
Wed Jul 15, 1:15 pm ET
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., just couldn't resist a little sports talk -- and hometown pandering. As she ended her questioning period, Klobuchar asked Sonia Sotomayor if she watched the All-Star game on Tuesday night.
"I haven't seen television for a very long time," the die-hard Yankees' fan and Supreme Court nominee responded. Then she added: "I will admit I turned it on for a very short time."
Klobuchar pointed out that New York Yankee's shortstop Derek Jeter had scored the winning run. Then the senator made sure to point out for Sotomayor -- and constituents back home -- that Jeter had been plated by Minnesota's Joe Mauer.
Lest he miss a chance to put in a plug for New England's favorite team in Boston, Senate Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy, a Vermonter, quipped that "I'm resisting any Red Sox comments."
-Larry Margasak, AP reporter, Congress
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Wed Jul 15, 12:30 pm ET
Sonia isn't the only Sotomayor biting her tongue
The Supreme Court nominee has kept her cool amid tough questions from Republicans. We know that. Now we know her mother has forced herself to be mum, too.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said she ran into Sotomayor's mother, Celina, in the bathroom during a break in the action. "I can tell you there's plenty she'd like to say," the senator told the nominee.
"Senator, don't give her the chance," Sotomayor quipped.
"The chairman is tempted, let me tell you," piped up Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
-Ron Fournier, AP Washington bureau chief
Celina Sotomayor (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
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