# So, this is what it's come to (Sotomayor confirmation) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 27, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490 "2009-07-27T22:57:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/121 "2009-08-06T18:59:28Z")
No it can’t. Even out of context, it says "_…I would **hope** that…_, that not that they automatically would. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/122 "2009-08-06T19:02:57Z")
For the record, I defended Trent Lott on this board after the Strom Thurmond flap. I said then that I thought he was just trying to say something nice to the guy and mostl likely never gave a moment’s thought to specific policies, or to the possibility that he might be construed as endorsing any of them. It was backslapping birthday praise taken way too literally. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/123 "2009-08-06T19:05:22Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > For the record, I defended Trent Lott on this board after the Strom Thurmond flap. I said then that I thought he was just trying to say something nice to the guy and most likely never gave a moment’s thought to specific policies. It was backslapping birthday praise taken way too literally. Well then he was exceptionally stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/124 "2009-08-06T19:06:56Z")
Maybe, but that’s not the same as being intentionally racist. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/125 "2009-08-06T19:12:15Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Maybe, but that’s not the same as being intentionally racist. You could dismiss it that way if Lott hadn’t said it on previous occasions, or if he hadn’t had such a close connection with the Council of Conservative Citizens (the KKK without the hoods). But he did. The incestuous Washington media knew it, too. Finally they had an opening to report what they knew they should have reported long ago. Yes, the backbreaking Thurmond comment was vastly overplayed, if considered in isolation, but it was really a makeup call. Lott’s a stinking bigot who finally got some justice. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/126 "2009-08-06T19:16:42Z")
And Sotomayor is confirmed with a 68-31 vote (Kennedy was absent due to illness). Edited to add: Good Christ is listening to the rollcall boring! I think if I were the Senate Secretary I would shoot myself. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/127 "2009-08-06T19:20:22Z")
Narrower than I expected, but still, she’s in and she deserved it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/128 "2009-08-06T19:20:33Z")
If she can resist the temptation to call some of the more outspoken Republicans and tell them to go suck eggs, she’s a better person than I. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/129 "2009-08-06T19:20:44Z")
Well, I wasn’t far off. 9 Republicans mustered up the courage to vote “Aye”. I’m not shocked at Voinovich’s vote, nor the Republicans from the NorthEast. Lugar and Graham, though, are pleasant surprises (not today, since they had both said they were going to vote for her already), and I give props to Graham for his vote. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/130 "2009-08-06T19:46:04Z")
And **Mr. Moto** still won’t tell us what the “problems” are that caused him to oppose her. Oh, well … ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/131 "2009-08-06T20:26:06Z")
So…when will the Nunchuck Confiscation Latina Squad begin its work? ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/132 "2009-08-06T20:28:50Z")
Congratulations, Justice Sotomayor! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/133 "2009-08-06T20:30:36Z")
JFTR, the 9 Republicans voting for confirmation were (working north to south): Snowe and Collins (ME), Gregg (NH), Voinovich (OH), Lugar (IN), Bond (MO), Lamar! (TN), Graham (SC), and Martinez (FL). Otherwise, it was a party-line vote, with Kennedy absent. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/134 "2009-08-06T20:50:05Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > JFTR, the 9 Republicans voting for confirmation were (working north to south): Snowe and Collins (ME), Gregg (NH), Voinovich (OH), Lugar (IN), Bond (MO), Lamar! (TN), Graham (SC), and Martinez (FL). > > Otherwise, it was a party-line vote, with Kennedy absent. Well, it’s always a party-line except for those who don’t vote party-line, right? I think I guessed 10 Republican votes in another thread. Got it close. I’m just glad the grandstanding is over. Congrats, Sonia! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/135 "2009-08-06T20:50:57Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > JFTR, the 9 Republicans voting for confirmation were (working north to south): Snowe and Collins (ME), Gregg (NH), Voinovich (OH), Lugar (IN), Bond (MO), Lamar! (TN), Graham (SC), and Martinez (FL). > > Otherwise, it was a party-line vote, with Kennedy absent. Look for those folks to be targeted by their party as RINOs (again, for some of them) soon. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/136 "2009-08-06T20:56:39Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Narrower than I expected, but still, she’s in and she deserved it. It wasn’t even close. Alito wishes he had gotten in that easily, to say nothing of Thomas. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/137 "2009-08-06T21:01:00Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Look for those folks to be targeted by their party as RINOs (again, for some of them) soon. CNN noted that none of the Republicans who voted for her are up for re-election in 2010. Draw your own conclusions. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/138 "2009-08-06T21:03:25Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > It wasn’t even close. Alito wishes he had gotten in that easily, to say nothing of Thomas. A couple of weeks ago (on this board, so I couldn’t lie about it) I guessed she’d be confirmed by about 80-20. I realized later that that was too generous by about 10, but I stuck with it. Agreed that it was very smooth compared to those guys and was never really in doubt. Interestingly, **jayjay** , by my count four of those nine Senators - Gregg, Bond, Martinez and Voinovich - have said they are retiring after their current terms are up. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/139 "2009-08-06T21:06:41Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > CNN noted that none of the Republicans who voted for her are up for re-election in 2010. Draw your own conclusions. George Voinovich (R-OH) has his term finishing in 2011, but I don’t think he intends standing for re-election in 2010. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-what-its-come-to-sotomayor-confirmation/504490/140 "2009-08-06T21:46:55Z")
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