Leading Senate Republican says Sotomayor must explain ‘wise Latina’ remark during hearings

August 18th, 2009 'Wise Latina' wins pop culture supportMIAMI — Wise Latina. The catch phrase of U.S.

July 22nd, 2009 Sen. Kyl, No. 2 Republican, to oppose SotomayorWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Jon Kyl's office says he'll vote against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor (SOHN'-ya soh-toh-my-YOR'), the latest of his party's conservative leaders to announce he'll oppose President Barack Obama's choice to be the first Hispanic justice.

July 19th, 2009 Hearings fail to sway Sessions to Sotomayor's sideWASHINGTON — The top Republican on the Senate committee reviewing Sonia Sotomayor's nomination said Sunday her testimony did not settle his concerns about elevating her to the Supreme Court. "I was troubled by a number of the things the nominee has said, a number of the rulings she has made," said Alabama Sen.

July 17th, 2009 Gingrich: Hard to tell how Sotomayor will voteATLANTA — Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday it's difficult to tell what kind of justice U.S.

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 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 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 Senate starts on Sotomayor's historic nominationWASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor enters confirmation hearings for her historic nomination to the Supreme Court with reason to be confident about the outcome — Democrats have the votes in the Senate to make her the court's first Hispanic and third woman justice. Hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee begin Monday with opening remarks from the panel's 12 Democrats and 7 Republicans, followed by Sotomayor's own statement that is expected to emphasize her compelling rise from poverty in New York City.

July 13th, 2009 Graham: Sotomayor's in unless she has meltdownWASHINGTON — A Senate Judiciary Committee Republican has told Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor she'll be confirmed "unless you have a complete meltdown." Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday he didn't think that would happen.

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 13th, 2009 Confirmation hearings for Sotomayor set to beginWASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor enters confirmation hearings for her historic nomination to the Supreme Court with reason to be confident about the outcome — Democrats have the votes in the Senate to make her the court's first Hispanic and third woman justice. Hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee begin Monday with opening remarks from the panel's 12 Democrats and 7 Republicans, followed by Sotomayor's own statement that is expected to emphasize her compelling rise from poverty in New York City.

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 8th, 2009 Sotomayor limps to Senate visits on broken ankleWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor hobbled through a packed day of meetings on Capitol Hill Monday after breaking her ankle in an early morning airport stumble, then boarding a flight from New York to Washington to visit senators who will vote on her confirmation. The federal appeals court judge, who has been keeping a busy set of appointments with lawmakers, tripped while rushing for her plane at New York's LaGuardia Airport.