The Times reports from the announcement of Sotomayor's nomination this morning. Note that the nominee grew up in a Bronx public housing project:
Judge Sotomayor's face tightened with emotion as the president introduced her. In the front row of the East Room, her mother, Celina Sotomayor, wept. Her stepfather, Omar Lopez, also was on hand along with her brother, Juan Sotomayor, sister-in-law, two nephews and a niece."My heart today is bursting with gratitude for all that you have done for me," she said to her family, describing her selection as "the most humbling honor of my life."
"I stand on the shoulders of countless people," she said. But towering above all, she said, is her mother, who raised her alone after her father died. "I am all I am because of her," Judge Sotomayor said, "and I am only half the woman she is."
Whatever there is to say about her judicial philosophy, you'd have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by this moment, and what Judge Sotomayor said here. This is a great country.
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yes - it is a great American story - and is the sort of thing that makes me really feel like the American Dream is not just a dream but something that can happen. What a proud day for her Mom too.
I saw a documentary on Clarence Thomas and I was also very impressed with his American story.
Beaumont the Brave,
I'm not now nor have I ever been a Republican (or a Democrat) -- so I could give the proverbial rat's patoot how much support leaks away from (either) the Republicans (or the Democrats.)
If you're down with Bill Ayers but not James Brown, then there's nothing I can do to help you, but to keep you in my prayers.
Really? That's odd, you sound an awful lot like one. Oh well, my mistake.
James Brown vs. Bill Ayers? Eh. I actually don't think either of them would be particularly pleasant company. Though I'd prefer to spend time with either than with the kind of tiresome boor who would claim an equivalency between Barack Obama and Al Sharpton.
B the B,
In what sense do I sound like a Republican? What Republican policy stances have I taken on any of these threads? In just the past few days I took Charles Cosimano to task for not being similarly upset about a war in Iraq (which I do not support) in favor of globalized "laissez-faire" (which I do not support). And before that I noted that I have no time for Mark Levin, whom I've never read or listened to.
And I didn't claim any "equivalency" between Barack Obama and Al Sharpton. I merely pointed out that if we're taking personal back-stories into account in choosing political leaders -- which I'm not sure we should to any great degree -- then Sharpton's back-story is more compelling to me than Obama's is, in large part because Sharpton's association with Brown does even more to recommend him than Obama's association with Ayers does (or ought to do) to tarnish his reputation. So, if anything, I'm arguing for Sharpton over Obama, not equating the two. That said, while I didn't want Obama as President, I wouldn't want Sharpton either, though I do think a Sharpton presidency would do more to make the country face fundamental issues in a way it needs to do than Obama's will, and would certainly be more compelling to watch unfold. Ultimately my point though is that if we need leaders who bring unique life-experiences to bear on leadership, then -- by that criterion at least -- Sharpton seems more distinguished not only than Obama does but than almost all recent Presidential candidates have done.
I think it is all to the good to have someone who grew up in the Projects, who is Hispanic and a woman (we need more than one woman on the Supreme Court) and who can add some real balance to the Court, whether I agree with all her judicial opinions or no. So far, Sonia Sotomayor doesn't seem much like Harriet Miers to me. Yes, hers is a wonderful American story.
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