Marie Cocco of the Washington Post Writers Group notes: “…. the drama stirred up by Republicans reveals some interesting things about race in the age of Obama.“

The sound and the fury at Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings signify almost nothing. Yet they still tell us almost everything we need to know about race and politics in the age of Obama. No matter how much drama Senate Republicans wish to concoct, it is practically a foregone conclusion that Sotomayor will win confirmation and thus become the first Supreme Court justice of Hispanic heritage, and only the third woman to serve on the nation’s highest court.

So as a matter of Supreme Court politics, the incendiary arguments of Sotomayor’s Republican opponents amount to gruel spooned out to the party’s base, shrunken and demoralized after repeated electoral losses and scandals.

Unless Sotomayor suffers a “complete meltdown,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina predicted, she will be confirmed. The price, though, is barely coded race baiting that has been part of the assault on Sotomayor since her nomination was announced. And it dominates the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings.

And it dominates the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. The opening statement by Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the panel — whose own bid for a federal judgeship in the 1980s was turned down because of his track record against African-American voting rights — was a masterwork of this ancient art. [ READ MORE ]

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Fearing a backlash from Hispanic voters, the pathetic G.O.P members of the Senate’s Judiciary committee, resorted to “wailing,” veiled race-baiting and nonsensical reasoning — to complement the straight-up RACISM of their comrades in the media. Well known anti-immigrant bigots, Senators John Kyl and Jeff Sessions took center stage.

Per comedian Bill Maher, these WHITE MEN are behaving like — “….for too long Puerto Rican women have had their boot on the neck of white men in America ….” (See VIDEO BELOW)

Bill Maher Tours The SOUTH | Comments on Sotomayor Hearings/Republicans

The Two Minutes Hate, Featuring Attacks On Sotomayor By Savage, Limbaugh, And Miller

Republicans Relentless in Sotomayor Attacks

Wise Latina Takes on Republican Senate BIGOTS

Sonia vs Sarah

CNN’s Toobin notes suggestion that white men don’t carry biases in Sessions’ question about “prejudice”

The usual MEDIA NUTBAGS were out of their hiding holes in full force, too!

Limbaugh slams Sotomayor’s “minority mindset”

| Rush Limbaugh: Sotomayor and Obama share “racial anger” |

Fox News misrepresents Sotomayor, Obama quotes to stir controversy. Fox News’ special about Judge Sonia Sotomayor misrepresented Sotomayor’s quote that “the Court of Appeals is where policy is made” to claim that she “apparently confess[ed]” to “legislating from the bench.” The special also misrepresented President Obama’s quote about “empathy.” [ READ MORE ]

References:

1. Rabid Anti-Abortionist Tries to Use Sotomayor Hearings for Comeback — Infamous Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry employs his gory protest tactics in Washington to assail Sotomayor’s record on reproductive rights.

2. Sotomayor Emphasizes Objectivity — Nominee Explains ‘Wise Latina’ Remark

3. When old white guys attack: Forget her actual record — Jeff Sessions and the angry GOP just know Sotomayor wants to keep the white man.

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Alternet: The 10 Dumbest Things Republicans Have Said About the Sotomayor Hearings — A list of the most ridiculous questions, jabs and rants by GOP lawmakers and other conservatives. [ READ MORE ]
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