Lindsey Graham: "I'm Deeply Troubled" By Sotomayor Nomination

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday that he remains "deeply troubled" by Sonia Sotomayor's ideology and record after a 30-minute closed-door meeting with the judge.

Politco reported on Graham's press conference following the meeting:

"I was very direct," Graham told reporters gathered outside his office. "I have to decide how to play this game, quite frankly. If I use the same standard that Sen. [Barack] Obama used, then I would not vote for you, quite frankly."

Graham's comments were the most critical so far during Sotomayor's dozen visits to key Senate offices over the past two days. [...]

"[Obama] used a standard, I think, that makes it nearly impossible for a person from the opposite party to vote for the nominee," said Graham.

"When I look at her record, her ideology, I'm deeply troubled," he added.

Graham had previously criticized Sotomayor for her 2001 "wise Latina" remark. On Wednesday, Graham said the remark offended him as an "every-day white guy."

The Washington Post reported on Graham's comments today:

"My criticism about her comment and the speech that she gave wasn't that I think this lady is a racist," Graham said, later continuing: "There is no evidence of that, but this statement is troubling and I did tell her this, 'If I said it, it would be over for me. No matter how well-intentioned I was and no matter how much I tried to put it in context, that would be it.' And you all know that."

He added, "being an average, every-day white guy ... that does not exactly make me feel good hearing a sitting judge say that."

"... She needs to explain herself and she needs to understand she offended some people," Graham said."

Interestingly, Sotomayor made the same speech in the 1990's, and her words were disclosed to Republican Senators as part of her 1998 Court of Appeals confirmation. There's no sign that any of them objected to it.

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Comments

[jamie461]

Maybe he'd be offended less if he was just an every-other-day white guy.

[jqcitizen]

If Senator Graham thinks the selection of a Supreme Court Justice has something to do with ..."playin­g a game". I wonder if he, a military JAG officer, thinks torturing POWs is some sort of game as well?

Some of these members of Congress should go home and play tiddly-winks.

[drumz]

As an average white guy I am insulted by Graham. Hey Graham, grow a pair!

[fourex]

Lindsey Graham Offended By Sotomayor Speech As An "Every-Day Gay White Neocon"

[ldcbl]

poor lindsey's feelings are hurt. he took one word out of an entire speech and decided that the Judge, soon to be justice, meant to offend him. So sad.

[ManwithaParachute]

He added, "being an average, every-day white guy ... that does not exactly make me feel good hearing a sitting judge say that."

Sounds like a line from one of those late night infomercials for Extenze. In spite of the prurient content this snake oil deals with ( pun intended ), I believe this is a Republican owned company/scam.

[thisfrightensme]

Being an average, every day queen why isn't Miss Lindsey offended by his party?

[CR46]

LMAO !!

[foofoobunny]

I am also ROFL

[MikeCanada]

I'm deeply concerned about Lindsey Graham not coming out of the closet

[thisfrightensme]

cosign!

[sanford41]

Mike, I agree with you 100%. Are we the only one's who recognize his femininity?
I believe that he and Newt were an item in the recent past!!!

[PansyRose]

I am offended by the way most Southern white males treated and still do, black people. They also resent woman having an equal place in this society. He needs to go back to the backward south and stay there.

[DannyDanson]

"My criticism about her comment and the speech that she gave wasn't that I think this lady is a racist," Graham said, later continuing: "There is no evidence of that, but this statement is troubling and I did tell her this, 'If I said it, it would be over for me. No matter how well-intentioned I was and no matter how much I tried to put it in context, that would be it.' And you all know that."

We all know that you would like to capitalize off of any residual racial tension left in the psyche's of Caucasian Americans that may help you polarize the country and assist your party in regaining power, that's what we know.

But, there is context where a white man could make the same assertion as Sotomayor, now that context may not be relavent to anything of significance considering that white men have never experienced any state approved or facilitated cultural insensitivity in this country, as has women, black, hispanics, etc but we could create a superficial context to demonstrate what she meant.

If someone asked Lindsay "Hey Lindsey those front seats on Selma's 1950's era buslines sure were comfortable, weren't they?"

Lindsay Graham given his experience could say "I think that more times than not a wise old white man, would could to a better decision than a old black man." (Since no old black man rode in the front seats of selma's 1950's era bus lines.

[lvdragonlady]

Average men work for a living not lie to the people and make them think you care about them.

[Mike Keough]

What a phenomenal dork. He is offended by Sotomayor saying something about her personal values, but doesn't care that Cheney's insane kid equates a speech in Egypt with "hand holding a terrorist.­" Flipping insane. There is just no intellectual a balance within this man.

[SharpDressedMan]

If anyone thinks Lindsey Graham state of mind is rational, please know what Senator Graham said during the last week of last year's presidential campaign. He said he will drown himself if Barack Obama wins North Carolina. Obama won NC.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/10/28/politics/fromtheroad/entry4554679.shtml

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/opinion/08collins.html

[cowboyx]

Is he basing his opinion on his race? Isn't that EXACTLY what he's complaining about?

Ow, my brain hurts.

[BlackJAC]

I'm suddenly reminded of a DOONESBURY sequence from about ten years ago when a fratboy sues his math teacher over the B he got on a test because it somehow discriminated against the "Greco-American Athletic Community" (AKA "fraternities").