Confirmation Hearing, First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice | featured news

Senate Republicans on Tuesday slowed down the anticipated confirmation of U.S. President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor.

Following the first two days of confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor, voters overwhelmingly expect her to be confirmed for the U.S. Supreme Court but remain divided as to whether she should be. Ninety percent (90%) now say her confirmation is likely while only four percent (4%) say it is not. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of voters now favor her confirmation while 43% are opposed. Importantly, those who are undecided have a positive view of President Obama and are probably willing to give him and his nominee the benefit of the doubt.

GOP senators press the Supreme Court nominee for her views on controversial subjects. But Sotomayor avoids engaging with her questioners and sticks to her judicial record.

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor vigorously defended herself today against charges that her speeches and rulings show racial bias, telling a Senate panel vetting her nomination that critics had misunderstood her record.

Confirmation hearings are due in the US Senate for President Obama's nominee to serve on the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor.

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has bonded with female senators about her childhood love of Nancy Drew mysteries and shared war stories with the Senate's former prosecutors about her days in the gritty Manhattan district attorney's office.