Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court Nominee | 05/26/2009 10:25 am
Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor Thanks Mother During Nomination Speech
President Obama says Sotomayor is an ‘inspiring woman’ who brings a
wealth of judicial experience to the bench; kid from the Bronx is in awe.
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Sonia Sotomayor thanked a lot of people for helping her get to where she is today — on the verge of becoming the nation’s third female Supreme Court judge — but she gave special thanks to her mother.
Sotomayor’s story is a classic American tale of success.
Born to Puerto Rican parents in humble beginnings, her father died when she was a young girl, and her mother, Selena, often worked two jobs to support her two children. The family grew up in a housing project in the Bronx, NY, where Sotomayor has said she often had to make concerted efforts to avoid drug deals going down in the complex.
"My mother has devoted her life to my brother and me," Sotomayor said at the White House today after President Obama announced her as his pick for the next Supreme Court nominee. "She worked often two jobs to help support us after Dad died. I have often said that I am all I am because of her. And I am only half the woman she is."
Selena Sotomayor was in the audience, and was getting "a little choked up," Obama noted. Sotomayor said her heart was "bursting with gratitude" at all who helped her get to Princeton, then Yale, then up the legal ladder. She got a tour of the White House recently, and it was almost too much to handle for the girl who grew up in the shadow of Yankee Stadium.
"It was an overwhelming experience for a kid from the South Bronx," she said. "Never from my wild childish imagining did I ever imagine that moment. Let alone, did I ever dream that I would live this moment."
Sotomayor said she hopes that during the Senate confirmation process the American people "will see I am an ordinary person that has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences. Today is one of those experiences."
After her remarks, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden gave Sotomayor a hug. "I told ya’ — a piece of cake!" Biden joked. Sotomayor had opened her remarks saying the president had told her not to be nervous — an "impossible" endeavor given the enormity of the moment.
Read more about: Bronx, Judge, New York, News, Nomination, Obama Administration, President Obama, Senate Confirmation Hearing, Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court, U.S.
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97 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment
I truly believe that her input on the supreme court, will be founded on practicality, common sense, with a significant grip on reality and subsequent consequences, when making a ‘decision’. For once, this is not a ‘political appointment’, as we understand it to be, of the past. Her position on this court will not be deemed a ‘payback’ to ‘political will’…….
I am also pleased that instead of appointing one who ‘knows everything" but cannot apply it to the real world, Obama chose someone who has had opportunity to KNOW the real world as it really is.
NOW what is Rush gonna do? HMMMM? Expand his attacks beyond African-Americans to include Latino’s? Let’s see……..that leaves him, what? Even LESS Americans who follow his rhetoric! That’s what I like about this appointment—it is INCLUSIVE of the people of America—-not EX-clusive!
The fact of the matter is that America IS inclusive that anyone that uses that excuse to make appointments is full of BS. No one should be elected or appointed based on race or gender. The cream always rises to the top….if they can’t make it on their accomplishments, then they just don’t belong there. Period…no matter what their "story".
To say that the Dem. party is more inclusive is ridiculous. To place people in positions based on their race or gender is not inclusive….it is pandering. Pandering to votes. The Rep. have plenty of people of color and women in the party. The only exclusivity that is going on, is from those that claim otherwise. And its BS.
Our laws are written and passed according to the will of the people, not according to how a Justice may "view" a situation. Her personal experiences are of no consequence….
The only relevent factors should be her record and her ability to insure that the letter of the law is upheld.
Victoria….who cares? HOW MANY of anything? The Dem are not more inclusive….they just pander to that belief and the masses buy it.
I keep up just fine there Victoria….with 32% claiming to be Rep. 34% Independent and 32% Dems….it speaks for itself.
As a matter of fact…those claiming to be Rep are up + 5%…but those claiming to be Dem…. - 4% hmmmm…..
Oh Kelly…there ya go extrapolating again! ;-D…but then you are in Texas—where EVERYthing is ‘bigger’….
First of all—-you say: "No one should be elected or appointed based on race or gender. The cream always rises to the top….if they can’t make it on their accomplishments, then they just don’t belong there. Period…no matter what their "story".
I agree with that—-which is why I wondered how the heck GWB got elected! hahahaha…..oh forgot—back then ‘accomplishments’ did not include business failures, or who the father was, or who was in control of the puppet strings…..
YOU say: " To place people in positions based on their race or gender is not inclusive….it is pandering.
I agree with that as well! I am looking forward to the day when 50% of the corporations are headed by women—instead of 90%…..I also look forward to the color of the skin being overlooked when it comes to promotions, crime, or what neighborhood one is ‘allowed’ to move into.
YOU say: "Our laws are written and passed according to the will of the people, not according to how a Justice may "view" a situation. Her personal experiences are of no consequence….
Ya know? That is probably how the Bush appointees were picked too—-right? The ‘will of the people’ said, ‘we, the people, want someone who believes the way we do (let’s pick stem cell research for grins, as there was support from BOTH sides of the aisle on that issue)—-and Bush picked just the opposite! Good thing her experiences are of no consequence—-but…but…I do not understand…..are you in favor of her appointment? Or do you have dreams that YOU should be appointed, since personal experiences have no consequence?
america is inclusive in many instances, but not in all. your own discrimination against gay rights is the perfect example of not being inclusive - if you truly were inclusive, you would welcome gay rights. but you don’t.
there are so many things wrong with this statement. first, class and wealth play the biggest part in our success. those who are born to poor parents have a high rate of staying poor, while those born to middle class or wealthy parents also have a high rate of staying at the class they were born into. intelligence and intellect do not matter if you go to a bad public school and live in a broken house in a crime-filled neighborhood.
Sotomayor is the exception to the rule. as a puerto rican female born to poor parents she was able to break past her disadvantages, something that she KNOWS is incredibly difficult, and in many cases, impossible to do. this experience of being poor and disadvantaged, and female, and also a minority, will give her incredible insight into the TRUE reality of growing up poor or a minority - something that rich, white men have never, ever had.
false. since 1980 there has been stronger support for the GOP from men than women.
89% of african americans voted democrat, 69% of latinos, 62% of asians and 55% "other" voted democrat.
that makes no sense. a human with a view must write them. *rolls eyes* try again!
no problem, as long as someone brings the numbers! ;)
Lemon,
Don’t you realize facts are BAD! ;)!!!
Lemon,
Don’t you realize facts are BAD! ;)!!!
the religious fringe keeps telling me that, but unfortunately, the brain that god gave me refuses to power off. ;)
Lemon Tea…I have stated numerous times that I believe in gay rights. I do not believe in gay marriage. Much different issue, no matter how you try to twist it. Marriage by definition is between a man and a woman. Look it up in Websters….
People need to give up that BS about rich white men. It’s BS. Minorities that have come from poverty are no better equiped to understand the law than someone who happened to grow up in the middle class. Again BS. The fact about America is that if one desires a better life, a better education, there are opportunities here to do so. That they do not is their choice, or lack there of.
How one votes only demonstrates what they have been lead to believe. It matters not how many women or ethnics vote Dem. Just because they buy the race, gender and class baiting does not make it so. As a matter of fact, those claiming to vote Dem. has dropped by 4%.
Perhaps more are deciding to allow themselves to be included by reaching and joining in….instead of claiming the victim role and crying about exclusion.
There is medication for that eye rolling condition….as for upholding the laws, only understanding of the laws is necessary. This call for "empathy" is directly in violation of the very oath that a Justice takes.
You would think that Obama would have known that one. I can excuse some here for being ignorant of that fact, but not Obama.