This morning, President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor, a federal appeals court judge, to replace David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court. If confirmed, she would be the first Hispanic to serve on the high court.
I found this tidbit from the AP’s coverage of the story noteworthy:
Senate Republicans pledged to give her a fair hearing, and some questioned whether she would base decisions on her personal feelings, rather than constitutional principles. Given her background, any effort to filibuster her nomination could carry political risks, since Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the population and an increasingly important one politically. (Emphasis mine).
Wonder why that standard didn’t apply to Miguel Estrada, a Latino appointee put forth by Bush for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. He withdrew his nomination in 2003 after being blocked by Senate Democrats for two years:
Estrada, 42, a Honduran immigrant, would have been the first Hispanic to sit on that court, which sometimes serves as a steppingstone to the U.S. Supreme Court.
He was nominated by Bush in May 2001, but Senate Democrats used a filibuster to block his approval.
I guess breaking down racial barriers is only a good thing if the nominee toes the liberal line.
