The Rejected vs the Nominated

There was an interesting article in The Washington Post on Senator Jeff Sessions meeting with Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

The reason it is interesting is that 23 years ago the US Senate, and the Panel on which he is now the senior Republican, rejected Mr Sessions for a Federal Judgeship.  The Senators on the Judicary Panel thought that he was racially insensitive, a charge being hurled at Judge Sotomayor by those who actually have no vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee.  To quote from the WashPost:

If things had gone as planned in 1986, the conservative Alabama prosecutor would have been confirmed to a lifetime appointment to a federal judgeship.  But allegations of racism cast Sessions as a throwback to the Jim Crow South, and the Senate Judiciary Committee voted down his nomination. Stunned and embarrassed, Sessions returned home to Mobile as a man undone.

For his part, Senator Sessions claims that he will deal with this in a fair manner.

"I've felt sorry for the poor person in the pit getting grilled," Sessions said in a recent interview.  "I don't think you'll find that I've abused any witness.  And I don't like vindication."

At the end of the day the Republicans have only seven votes on a panel with 19 members.

It still comes down to the Judge herself.  If she has a skeleton heretofore unknown or if she says something that outrages the left, she will end up like Senator Sessions, not being confirmed.  Otherwise, it is all about what kind of show the Republicans wish to put on.  So far it looks like the adults are taking the approach that "everything is good, but don't push us around."  These are, after all, US Senators.  They expect to be treated with a certain amount of deference.

Regards  —  Cliff