Schumer: Sotomayor Is 'Filibuster-Proof'

WASHINGTON — A leading Democratic senator says that President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee is "virtually filibuster-proof" when his colleagues look at her record.

Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said Sunday that Sonia Sotomayor's nomination is heading toward confirmation. He says she has a compelling history and a moderate record.

Schumer downplayed Sotomayor's comments about her ethnic background and the bench. He says Sotomayor's comments about her personal experiences reflect a respect for the law while acknowledging her own background as the daughter of Puerto Rican parents.

Some conservative critics of Sotomayor are calling her a racist.

Schumer spoke to ABC's "This Week."

Comments

[Haitiana4Obama]

I just love Chuck he's your everyday ballsy New Yorker, like it or not he's gonna say what he feels. Sotomayor is lucky to have a powerplayer like him on her side. This administration is coming out with all their gunsloaded, in the right situation.

[rudiy]

The Repubs loved it when their nominees were stalled in the Senate. "Up or down vote." Now the shoe is on the other foot and they hate it. An actual vote. How undemocratic.

[mergina]

You should not be so cocky.

[Marcospinelli]

If it turned out that Sotomayor was anti-abortion and would vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade, would Democrats still support her nomination?

[OKnight]

can u sing dixie backwards ?

[mergina]

She is Obamas pick and none of them can tell you with confidence what her views are on abortion.

[Grunty1]

If it turns out that Dubya is a mentally undeveloped toddler with a drinking problem who failed at everything his entire life, would you will support him for president??

Oh wait, you did even knowing all of those things.

[OKnight]

vaccine?

[Marcospinelli]

"The last thing the republican congress want, is to see Roe vs Wade overturned, If they overturned it, that would be the end of the republican party, All the pro-lifers would become democrats. If they wanted to overturn it they would have been done 2000 ---2006."

No, that's not what would happen.

If Roe was overturned, all of the anti-abortion laws that existed at the time of the Roe decision would spring back into effect. It would be similar to what we're seeing with gay marriage -- Legal in some states, but not in all. Right to abortion wouldn't be a woman's Constitutional right anymore. If I remember correctly, at the time of Roe 36 states prohibited abortion. No one should take for granted that should Roe be overturned states legislators across the nation would step in to make it legal.

And that's where last week's poll comes in ("for the first time, the majority of Americans are pro-life"). I don't think it was any accident that it was commissioned or the results revealed now.

Nominees to the SC can't be allowed to get away with refusing to state their position on abortion and Roe.

[OKnight]

just the last repub ones, right...genius...

[Marcospinelli]

I've had this discussion with you before. You seem to believe that because other nominees in the past weren't held to this standard, that that determines the way it should be ever more with all future nominees.

Do you know what common law means?

[mergina]

If abortion was made illegal, only the rich would be able to acquire one safely as before. If American men want to experience a life of either having to marry a woman to have sex, or using their hands to gratify themselves, they will do everything humanly possible to stop for a moment and think what it is like to be a woman on the receiving end of their decisions, and see that a womans right to choose never goes away.

[navalvet]

Of course, Judge Sotomayor is filibuster proof. There are at least three, perhaps more, Republican senators who would vote for cloture.

[mergina]

No one is fillibuster proof.

[dems08]

Well then, LET'S GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD!

[kimleehan]

She is filibuster proof, if she still wants it, but who needs all this republican crap? It won't surprise me if she pulls her name out of nomination and if she does, republicans will feel it for years to come with the hispanic vote.

[mamala4]

She won't...she's not Harriet Myers.

[blairtone]

True - Harriet wasn't a raci*t or se&ist

[blairtone]

so all hispanics vote based on race?

[kimleehan]

Ask John McCain.

[weatherwaxx]

I suspect many Latinos do vote based on racism... in the GOP. Look at the numbers in the past 2 elections.

[OKnight]

sure, and we all eat tacos for breakfast.­..meathead­.

[Bafun]

I think more on religion -remember prop 8- It's the reason so many are voting republican. If not religion, what would be the reason for hispanic people to give one vote to the republican?

[blairtone]

Schumer needs to take a long walk on a short pier

[weatherwaxx]

You need to get a life. And maybe some new cliches.

[Marcospinelli]

Chuck Schumer, proponent of Bush's Torture Plan:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/05/13/audio-schumer-in-2004-on-enhanced-interrogation-techniques/

Chuck Schumer who, "When Alito's nomination came up, Reid and Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, then chairman of the party's campaign committee, privately beseeched liberal groups to go easy on Democrats from states Bush had carried in 2004, Nebraska, Arkansas, the Dakotas and elsewhere."
- http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jWqIqRQziz-lmnJMejbnKZfc4mvgD988QEU80

Moderate = right (these days)

The Democratic Party has moved farther and farther to the right since the mid-1980s when the DLC seized power in the party in response to conservative Democratic voters voting for Ronald Reagan.

Barack Obama is NOT a liberal; he doesn't define himself that way and he has nothing in his record to suggest that he's anything but a center-to-right politician.

Chuck Schumer is a corporate Democrat; always was, always has been. He's behind the cr@ppy credit card 'reform' bill that has no cap on interest rates, lets banks charge at usury rates. He's also working it hard AGAINST single payer universal health care. He's a stooge for the insurance companies. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i0RKUmB01orvPi9ljrUs54xhfUkgD9844HH06

And it's Schumer who is shepherding Sotomayor's confirmation through Congress. Here, a bunch of conservative Democrats laud Sotomayor:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/05/28/1946092.aspx

[bubbuh]

yawn

[Marcospinelli]

^ - A non-denial denial from an Obamabot

Obamabots are the problem.

Obamabots, like the Bushies, aren't well educated or well-versed on the issues. They talk about Obama's "playing chess", or "I just know he's got a plan", (the "double secret"-plan from 'Animal House') and other imaginings about Obama's intentions that they couldn't possibly know unless they were Obama. Or they urge "Patience, he's only been there 3/6/12/24/36/48/72 months".

Mostly they seem foolish, slavishly starstruck, like Sanjaya's fans calling in to vote for him on American Idol, but they have to be taken seriously because theirs is an effective means for interrupting momentum of unrest among the public.

For some Obamabots, it's discomfort when they hear arguments and they want it to stop. Other Obamabots are moles, paid political operatives, DLC operatives (DINO), on the side of corporations. That's our money they're getting paid with, from political contributions to the DNC, going to screw us.

Whichever it is, Obamabots are the immediate problem. Shout them down here, & everywhere else you encounter them online and off.

[Petey131]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[Marcospinelli]

^ - A non-denial denial from an Obamabot

Obamabots are the problem.

Obamabots, like the Bushies, aren't well educated or well-versed on the issues. They talk about Obama's "playing chess", or "I just know he's got a plan", (the "double secret"-plan from 'Animal House') and other imaginings about Obama's intentions that they couldn't possibly know unless they were Obama. Or they urge "Patience, he's only been there 3/6/12/24/36/48/72 months".

Mostly they seem foolish, slavishly starstruck, like Sanjaya's fans calling in to vote for him on American Idol, but they have to be taken seriously because theirs is an effective means for interrupting momentum of unrest among the public.

For some Obamabots, it's discomfort when they hear arguments and they want it to stop. Other Obamabots are moles, paid political operatives, DLC operatives (DINO), on the side of corporations. That's our money they're getting paid with, from political contributions to the DNC, going to screw us.

Whichever it is, Obamabots are the immediate problem. Shout them down here, & everywhere else you encounter them online and off.

[loveobamas]

BORING!!!!!!!!!!!

[Marcospinelli]

^ - A non-denial denial from an Obamabot

Obamabots are the problem.

Obamabots, like the Bushies, aren't well educated or well-versed on the issues. They talk about Obama's "playing chess", or "I just know he's got a plan", (the "double secret"-plan from 'Animal House') and other imaginings about Obama's intentions that they couldn't possibly know unless they were Obama. Or they urge "Patience, he's only been there 3/6/12/24/36/48/72 months".

Mostly they seem foolish, slavishly starstruck, like Sanjaya's fans calling in to vote for him on American Idol, but they have to be taken seriously because theirs is an effective means for interrupting momentum of unrest among the public.

For some Obamabots, it's discomfort when they hear arguments and they want it to stop. Other Obamabots are moles, paid political operatives, DLC operatives (DINO), on the side of corporations. That's our money they're getting paid with, from political contributions to the DNC, going to screw us.

Whichever it is, Obamabots are the immediate problem. Shout them down here, & everywhere else you encounter them online and off.

[ObamAtomic]

Lol you are borderline out.

[Marcospinelli]

^ - A non-denial denial from an Obamabot

Obamabots are the problem.

Obamabots, like the Bushies, aren't well educated or well-versed on the issues. They talk about Obama's "playing chess", or "I just know he's got a plan", (the "double secret"-plan from 'Animal House') and other imaginings about Obama's intentions that they couldn't possibly know unless they were Obama. Or they urge "Patience, he's only been there 3/6/12/24/36/48/72 months".

Mostly they seem foolish, slavishly starstruck, like Sanjaya's fans calling in to vote for him on American Idol, but they have to be taken seriously because theirs is an effective means for interrupting momentum of unrest among the public.

For some Obamabots, it's discomfort when they hear arguments and they want it to stop. Other Obamabots are moles, paid political operatives, DLC operatives (DINO), on the side of corporations. That's our money they're getting paid with, from political contributions to the DNC, going to screw us.

Whichever it is, Obamabots are the immediate problem. Shout them down here, & everywhere else you encounter them online and off.

[freethinkergirl]

Forget the "borderline", he's out.......­......"lik­e totally".

[Star2000dancer]

Check, you were about 5 million off on those pitchforks over the banks & AIG, & you're off on this one. WE DO NOT TRUST ANYBODY THE BUSHES shoved down our throats & Sonyia is a Bush pick. We are also very concerned about getting Czars. See what history says about them like Ivan the terrible. Now we have Rahm the pharoah.

[bubbuh]

Whoo! Whoo!

[Petey131]

Huh?

[JuergenHartl]

There was also Peter the Great, and Cathrine the Great.

[Thefamilyvan]

At least we got rid of Bush the Whacker.

[freethinkergirl]

And Chen.ey the Chavster.

[dollyfedup]

I understand what she was trying to say in her statement. That doesn't make her a racist in my opinion. I'm more concerned about them saying on TV that she was a corporate lawyer and she mostly ruled in favor of companies in her cases. This bothers me more.

[Vurz]

Well, filibuster proof if they look at her record and not her race or gender. But they are Republicans, so that will be well-nigh impossible for them.

[bubbuh]

filibuster proof meaning the votes for cloture are in hand.

[ObamAtomic]

Mr Schumer,we hope you right,remember Muskasey?

[Marcospinelli]

For those who don't know what you're talking about, we have Chuck Schumer to thank for saddling us with Bush's nominee for Attorney General, Michael Mukasey.

http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/01/this-waterboarding-sponsored-by-mike-mukasey-and-chuck-schumer

Chuck Schumer was a proponent of Bush's Torture Plan:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/05/13/audio-schumer-in-2004-on-enhanced-interrogation-techniques/

[ObamAtomic]

Exactly!

[Prakosh]

It is clear to anyone who has been paying attention that Sotomayor is going to be confirmed. This fact is what makes the rights gender and race based arguments against her so idiotic. Why would you shoot yourself after the battle has already been decided unless you were intent on some kind of political party suicide.

[Jonni Rae]

I want to know where Sotomayor, a Catholic, stands on Roe v. Wade. In fact, I feel I have to know before I can support her.

[Petey131]

Who are you?

[kimleehan]

The last thing the republican congress want, is to see Roe vs Wade overturned, If they overturned it, that would be the end of the republican party, All the pro-lifers would become democrats. If they wanted to overturn it they would have been done 2000 ---2006.

[dollyfedup]

I'm sure Obama knows or he wouldn't have picked her. I trust his judgement. I'm glad he's representing all Americans and not just Democrats.