"Would we want to see nine white men debating abortion? Probably not. I think most women feel better knowing there’s going to be a couple of women on there hearing those issues. I think in a country as diverse as ours, where we live in a democracy, it is important."

That was one of the most striking statements Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor made Wednesday during Day 3 of her Senate confirmation hearings. She skirted many questions relating to abortion and other hot-button topics — nothing new for Supreme Court nominees — but even some Democrats were reportedly getting frustrated, including Sen. Arlen Specter, D-PA. Sotomayor said even President Obama didn’t ask her about her stance on abortion.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-OK, a leading abortion opponents and a physician who has delivered hundreds of babies, asked if it would be legal for a woman to abort a fetus at 38 weeks after learning the baby had spina bifida.

"I can’t answer that question in the abstract because I would have to look at what the state of the state’s law was on that question," Sotomayor said. She recited portions of the 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld a right to an abortion but allowed some restrictions so long as they do not place an "undue burden" on the woman’s rights. "The question is: Is the state regulation regulating what a woman does an undue burden?" she said.

The day before, Sotomayor said she considers Roe v. Wade "settled law," a stance she maintained yesterday when asked whether the 38 cases argued before the Supreme Court pertaining to Roe v. Wade — none of which overturned the law — meant Roe v. Wade should be here to stay. 

"The history of a particular holding of the court and how the court has dealt with it in subsequent cases would be among one of the factors among many a court would likely consider," Sotomayor said. "The court has considered in other cases the number of times the issue has arisen and what actions the court has or has not taken with respect to that. Casey did reaffirm the core holding of Roe and so my understanding would be the issue would be addressed in light of Casey."

Watch a portion of Sotomayor’s response on abortion below when questioned by Sen. Al Franken, D-MN (via Huffington Post):