1 second ago 2009-12-11T10:46:27-08:00
Sonia Sotomayor sat in the witness chair for more than three days in her quest to become the first Hispanic justice and third woman to take a seat on the Supreme Court. Through it all, she ducked and dodged her way through a gauntlet of questions, parrying with her answers -- or nonanswers -- to emerge unscathed.
By the end, she even had conservative Republicans singing her praises, though they wouldn't commit to vote in her favor -- yet.
So now what?
The Judiciary Committee scheduled a confirmation vote for Tuesday -- and made that announcement even before public witnesses had finished testifying. But even though Republicans have said they won't block Sotomayor's confirmation, a committee vote might not happen then.
Any senator on the committee has the right to ask for a one-week delay on a confirmation vote. That means the latest it is going to happen is Tuesday, July 28. That gives Democrats almost two weeks to get her confirmed on the Senate floor before the chamber leaves for its summer break on August 7.
So what's the chance that her confirmation fails? Barring a monumental surprise, zilch.
-Liz Sidoti, AP reporter, politics
