One step closer to making history

NEW YORK –There is little suspense left as the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court moves to the full Senate on August 7.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to approve Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of Sotomayor on Tuesday in a 13-6 vote, almost along party lines. There was just one Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who joined Democrats in supporting her. "This is the first Latina woman in the history of the United States to be selected for the Supreme Court. Now that is a big deal," said Graham.

The ranking Republican on the committee, Sen. Jeff Sessions, explained his opposition: "In speech after speech, year after year, Judge Sotomayor set forth a fully formed judicial philosophy that conflicts with American philosophy of blind justice to the law."

The Judiciary Committee chairman, Sen. Pat Leahy, deflected the criticism, saying, "In her 17 years on the bench there is not one example, let alone a pattern, of her ruling based on bias or prejudice of sympathy...she has been true to her oath and faithfully and impartially performed her duties as set forth by the Constitution."

Democrats control the Senate 60-40, ensuring Sotomayor's confirmation to the lifetime position and making her the first Hispanic to the high court. In addition to Graham, at least four other Republicans have said they will vote for Sotomayor, including Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Richard Lugar of Indiana and Mel Martinez of Florida who has pointed to his shared Hispanic heritage.

The National Rifle Association, which is opposing Sotomayor, warned senators that it would include their votes on her confirmation in its annual candidate ratings, but that is not likely to significantly effect the numbers in her favor. Sotomayor is not tipping the court's ideological balance, since she's replacing liberal Justice David Souter.

Obama may have the opportunity to select up to two additional candidates to the Supreme Court and will certainly have learned something from this process and the ideological alarm bells set off by Republicans in response to what many consider a judge with a mainstream judicial record.

-Bob Regan, In Session senior executive producer