As announced by fellow TMV colleagues Holly Robinson and Pete Abel, President Barack Obama has selected federal judge Sonia Sotomayor as his pick for the Supreme Court (Politico story here). As soon as the announcement came, text messages and e-mails started flooding to my Blackberry from various family and friends. What amazed me was how these pro-Obama, black and brown Democrats weren’t happy. Here are some excerpts from e-mails and texts:
“Obama has made it soooo easy for the GOP!”
“Now I have to hear about how Obama only looks at things through racial lenses. My stomach hurts!!!”
“GROAN! If I have to start the “white people pick white people all the time” line again to justify this pick, I’m going to die.”
“Judge Sotomayor said that her background has a Latina makes her a better judge than white men. WOW! Every conservative pundit is going to plaster her words all over the place. My head hurts just thinking about it.”
“You know me. I’m all for diversity. But couldn’t Obama find someone a little more moderate????”
“Rush Limbaugh and Company are going to work this until it bleeds to death…”
No praises. Just concern about the optics of this pick. I can’t lie to you, I was somewhat dismayed by the pick for similar reasons. I hate rehashing race in selections like this. But that’s being selfish. Judge Sonia Sotomayor has the qualifications. Apparently she has the moxie. But what frequently happens when the controlling party makes a Supreme Court pick, copious amount of static is generated. Not saying that is wrong. We should debate all Supreme Court nominees. But the static from THIS PICK will be laced with arsenic because of the current political environment. Judge Sotomayor’s selection is the PERFECT rally point for a weakened and divided GOP. Like gasoline thrown on a fire, Judge Sotomayor has so many areas to attack for the GOP (that comment she made about being a better judge than a white male has such strong legs that it will shatter the 100M sprint world record). She’s a very easy target for the GOP.
But I have to throw out my selfish reasons for not wanting a Sonia Sotomayor selection. I do welcome this pick. Judge Sotomayor is VERY different from past Supreme Court nominees due to her experiences and most likely she will be confirmed. That would make for an interesting Supreme Court dynamic that may be the better for it. Sometimes a shakeup of opinion and worldview is needed to “freshen” a situation (not that you can freshen Supreme Court law up that much). But not before the GOP lets loose with all guns blazing.
I’m not complex. Don’t have time for all that. And all that complex stuff bad for the stomach. Just color me simple and plain with a twist.