GOP senator says Supreme Court nominee not better than a white man just because she’s Latina

August 6th, 2009 GOP Sen. Gregg to vote for SotomayorWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Judd Gregg says he'll vote for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, breaking with most of his fellow Republicans.

August 5th, 2009 GOP Sen. Bond says he'll vote for SotomayorWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Kit Bond says he'll support Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, breaking with the vast majority of the GOP.

August 3rd, 2009 McCain to oppose Sotomayor for Supreme CourtWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. John McCain says he'll oppose Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor when the Senate votes on her confirmation this week.

July 29th, 2009 Texas' Hutchison voting against SotomayorWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison says she will vote against confirming Sonia Sotomayor to be a Supreme Court justice.

July 16th, 2009 Graham says some detainees should never be freeWASHINGTON — A Republican senator is appealing to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to recognize the nature of the enemy as the country considers how to prosecute detainees from the war on terror. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told Sotomayor that some of the detainees, if released, will "try to kill us all." He said some of them "deserve to be in jail until they die." Graham says he hopes a "rational system of justice" for the detainees emerges.

July 15th, 2009 Sotomayor refuses to renounce 'wise Latina' wordsWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor declined Wednesday to renounce her comment that a "wise Latina" woman might make a better ruling than a white man without the same life experiences. But at the same time, Sotomayor, 55, said she regretted that her remark in a speech several years ago has been "misunderstood" by some and has stirred so much controversy.

July 15th, 2009 Sotomayor stands by admission words 'fell flat'WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor acknowledged Wednesday that her "wise Latina" remarks had stirred controversy and conceded that they'd been taken the wrong way by some. Sotomayor, 55, said she would regret it if the larger message she was trying to convey — to encourage young people to lift their aspirations — got lost in the controversy over her statement to a college audience that a "wise Latina" woman might issue a better ruling than a white man without the same life experiences.

July 14th, 2009 Sotomayor defends 'wise Latina' remarkWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor stoutly denied racial bias Tuesday at her Senate confirmation hearing and said an oft-criticized remark about her Hispanic heritage affecting her decisions was a rhetorical device gone awry. An attempted play on words "fell flat" in a speech in 2001, Sotomayor told Sen.

July 14th, 2009 Sotomayor clarifies 'wise Latina' commentWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says she doesn't believe that "any racial, ethnic or gender group has an advantage in sound judging." She was asked Tuesday at her Senate confirmation hearing to clarify her controversial remark that a "wise Latina" might be able to make better decisions than a white man. Sotomayor told Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy that she used those words in an effort to inspire groups of young Hispanics to believe that "they could become anything they wanted to become." The high court nominee said she believes different life experiences enrich the legal system.

July 13th, 2009 Sessions gives Sotomayor tough greeting at hearingWASHINGTON — The top-ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee has greeted Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor with skepticism. Sen. Jeff Sessions on Monday cited Sotomayor's much-publicized remarks about the notion that a "wise Latina" woman might be better suited than a white male without the same life experiences.

July 13th, 2009 Schumer says Sotomayor is mainstream judgeWASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer says Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is a "mainstream" jurist who would not let her personal views interfere with her rulings.

July 12th, 2009 Cornyn: Sotomayor must explain 'Latina' remarkWASHINGTON — A top Senate Republican says Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor will have to explain statements suggesting that judges can't be neutral, but he also acknowledges that her confirmation as the high court's first Hispanic justice won't be blocked. Texas Sen. John Cornyn tells "Fox News Sunday" that he and other Republicans on the Judiciary Committee plan to ask Sotomayor about her comment in 2001 that she hoped a "wise Latina" would often reach better conclusions than a white male without similar experiences.

July 12th, 2009 Obama phones Sotomayor on eve of hearingsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has called his Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, to wish her luck at her confirmation hearings. The White House says Obama called the appellate court judge from the Oval Office on Sunday.

June 9th, 2009 Law enforcement groups endorse SotomayorWASHINGTON — Eight national law enforcement organizations are endorsing President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The groups announced their support for the judge at the White House.

June 7th, 2009 GOP says objectivity is key question for SotomayorWASHINGTON — The Alabama senator leading the GOP's vetting of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor said the American tradition of impartial courts is "under attack" and the pivotal question in her nomination should be whether she allows personal views to color her decisions as a judge. Delivering the Republican Party's weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, Sen.