CNN

Rush and Newt are the junkyard dogs of the failed Republican party.
They have no new ideas, they hate everybody. I predict that as aging Americans die off, the Republican party will dwindle to a burnt-out cinder of its former self.

I'm sure he'd be singing a different tune if any of their arguments against Sotomayor were hitting the right note with the public.

I like democrats and their "in and out of context" argument. If she said it she is racist.

What happened to all of Sunday comments, when I wrote mine there were 205 listed.

Keep it up Cheney, Lim, et al! Throw Palin into the mix too! You are all beneficial to the DNC.

The day I heard Rush Limbaugh issue his orders to "Forget about the Hispanic Vote" I started dancing up and down....

This was music to my ears, we all know the Republican base follows his orders.....

Remember when Eric Cantor started his listening tour? Well Rush Limbaugh gave an order to change it to a learning tour, Eric Cantor IMMEDIATELY SUBMITTED....

So with this latest Rush Limbaugh ORDER, losing Hispanic voters futher alienates a political party that is obviously motivated by white supremacy......

White people.....Republicans.....or however you want to describe them , are being reduced to the kind of people that attended Sarah Palin rallys......

I hope Rush Limbaugh issues more orders, this is getting pretty comical.......

Rush and Newt should get married. Together, they have done more to foster hate and strife in the US than any other two people on the political sceen. They have dragged the republican party down a path it will never recover from. The Democrats are a party of inclusion and the Republicans are a party of exclusion. Nuff said!

I think the change we're seeing is that each of us now feels we have a voice.

If we continue to use that voice, that vote, maybe one day WE can rid this country of the blight that consumes our government.

Change we can make for the better – if WE do it.

The Republicans still in office don't know how to deal with divisiveness. This is a new experience for them. It's going to take some time for Republicans to adjust. In that way they will become more like Democrats who have been practicing for decades. Let's not forget that "left wing" radio failed while "right wing" radio is still going strong. This adjustment period will be over and forgotten by November 2010.

SHE SAID “HOPE” "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." All the hopla over this judge's comments are shockinly ignorant! She is saying that, she aspires or is challenging herself to a higher standard based on her life experience, proud heritage and knowledge of law to be an extraordinary woman! She is acknowledging most of the justices over the last 100 years have been white males detached from societal experiences and without full understanding of how their decisions impact peoples lives! THERE WAS NO NEED FOR RECLARAFICATION BY THE PRESIDENT! BUT, BECAUSE OF REPUGLICAN HYSTERIA, SOUND BITE POLITICS, AND MALICIOUSNESS, BIAS, AND POLITICAL POSTURING, HE HAD NO CHOICE TO STEP INTO THE ARENA!

Rush, Newt and Cheney are doing a great job for the RNC. Keep it up.

I actually fear the day the Republican leadership attempts to distance itself from the all might Rush Limbaugh...

As long as they support him, they will be in the minority......

If some charasmatic leader emerges and does the smart thing in speaking out against Limbaugh, that means they will make gains again..

Lets hope the Republicans continue with having Rush Limbaugh influence their party, this pretty much garauntees their failure.......

Is this the Mitch McConell that's calling the Obama health initiative socialized medicine. Why don't you ask him where he gets his health insurance from. Him and his colleagues in the congress make the UAW look like amateurs with the health care plan they negotiated that the American public pays for. Congress gets full medical care for them and their families for life and they don't contribute a cent of their own money to it. Sounds like government run health insurance to me. I'm just talking about this to make the point again of some republican hypocracy of which McConell is a major member

@ "Qui-Tam Relator" .......... A revolution? So what will you do with the 62% of Americans who support President Obama? Place us in concentration camps?

It's such a double standard that Republicans embrace "Hate" with their support of Rush Limbaugh...

It's funny how "Hate & Division" seem to be rallying points for Republicans...

This country has a 200 year history of Racism, perpetrated by "WHITE MEN", so if someone is simply attempting to clarify the position regarding life experiences the Republicans flip the script and start accusing others of being RACIST....

I think the backing of non elected people by the Republicans will keep them in the minority for years to come...

Thank God.....

********************************
How about if we nominate Porky Pig or Daffy Duck or Elmer Fudd would that make the American People happy! We are so over the edge as American's no wonder the rest of the world sees us as the nuts they have have truly become. It's time fir a Revolution in this country to rid us of the idiots that not only run this country but the people that support them! We are f..... as a people and our government loves it because it divides us and keeps us from joining together to make a great country for the PEOPLE ! ********************************

Mitch McConnell won't condemn these racist remarks because 1) he doesn't want to alienate Rush Limbaugh's and Newt Gingrich's fan base, and 2) HE AGREES WITH THEM.

The GOP needs to quit all this silly business and state the facts. This person is highly qualified to be a justice. Be big kids, admint she is qualified, confirm her, and move on with representing the people of your state or district. You were not elected to represent the GOP, you were elected to represent your constituents. Stop the bickering and do the job you were elected to do.

It's about time an elected Republican with a spine spoke out against the idiocy of Rush, etc. They are losing their minds (those calling Judge Sotomayor a 'reverse racist'), and the endless comments about being a "Latina" only prove her point. She respects the rule of law, and Limbaugh, Newt, and the rest need to study America's racial past, the KKK, the Jim Crow laws, and the fact that even the Supreme Court was wrong in the Dred Scott case. These three are like stooges who whine, and rant, when Rush promoted, "Barack, the Magic Negro." He needs to look in the mirror, as he's the cat calling the kettle black. It is shameful how their hatred of a Black is so strongly featured in ignorant speech.

But wait... I thought "dissent is patriotic." (That's what we were told for eight years.) So, consider me a patriot.

If one-party rule of government was bad under the previous president, it's equally as bad under the current.

We've also been told, "if you don't like gay marriage, don't get one." Same thing with Limbaugh... if you don't like him, don't listen. Further, if the media hates him so, then stop reporting on him.

Let me refresh your memory. Why isn't any one asking the Republicans to DISAVOW or DISOWN or SEPERATE or DENOUNCE or DISTANCE themselves from Rush Lamebag for "Inflammatory Rhetoric". Isn't that what everyone wanted Obama to do when it came to Reverend Wright and his 'Inflammatory Rhetoric'.

Double Standard!

Will you denounce Rush Limbersome, Republicans?

At least we arent talking about Sarah Palin for a change.

Yeah I guess he does have better things to do, like explain to his constituents in Tennessee why the Saturn plant in Spring Hill is going down the toilet with GM's bankruptcy. McConnell would have sold them out no matter what the outcome.
Good luck buddy.

Yeah old Mitch will be apologizing by the end of the week to the grand leader of the GOP Boss Lindbaugh

Yeah, Mr. McConnell, I 'm sure you have better things to do than be the 'speech police.' Better things like propose new policies to help out the American people... oh, yeah that's right. You and the Republicans have none. My bad.

I think that what Don Imus said about "nappy-headed" women basketball players was horrible and insulting and that he was rightly taken off the air.

What I don't understand is Rush Limbaugh is allowed to stay on the air and continue to lie, distort, incite violence and in general, call for the failure of our President and by extension, our country. Limbaugh degrades anyone and everyone who doesn't agree with him.

Anyone who attempts to deny that Sotomayors comments were racist, is not being honest with themsleves. They are probably biased liberals who believe their party is infallible. Just change the players in the quote, and tell me if a white man said it, would minorities be picketing? Her comment was a hispanic woman with her experiences, WILL MORE OFTEN THAN NOT COME TO BETTER CONCLUSIONS THAN WHITE MEN. Therefore, hispanic judges make better decisons, hence she belives they are better judges. The race makes them better judges. There is no arguing this. It is racist and she should have to explain herself. And to those who are saying its about context, you are just making excuses and letting your loyalty to your party, get in the way.

@ Evi Lafferly:
Watch the fool grin, even as he is giving his insidious instructions to his followers to destroy the USA."

Evi, darling, Bush is no longer president. You can come out form under the bed now.

Bush Sr. nominated her into the US District Court in the Southern District in New York in 1992. She got the Republican nomination for justice because she is good. When a Democrat nominates her, she is bad. What is wrong with politicians? If the next Republican president (hopefully not elected in my lifetime) votes her into anything she will be wonderful again. They should pull their heads out of their behinds.

Rush Limbaugh is the BEST thing to happen to the Democrat Party.

Gutless McConnell got off the air and immediately placed a call to Boss Limbaugh for further instructions on how to continue to destroy the Rushcheneycan party.

Do you think Republicans are starting to get it the American People are fed up with the Nasty fighting bashing politicts!

Of course in public the Republicans are going to dissagree with Rush and make it appear as if they are taking the high road here but we know in private they are all saying.."You go Rush, YOU DA MAN"....

It is sad when a "shock jock" is the leader of a national party...

Obviously, Newt (who's probably looking at another political "run" in 2010), McConnell (who's having trouble keeping up with competion in Kentucky for attention on the Republican side), and Rush (oh, what a useless windbag, who offers nothing positive to anyone and who should be ignored by CNN and other media outlets who only give him the attention he wants), they all are treading water in a dying Republican swamp of cynicism, bigotry and negativism. CNN, quit giving them – especially Rush – the time of day!

I pray to Rush for my sins every day.

I think this is the first time i've ever agreed with MITCH MCCONNEL. Republicans have backed themselves into this hole.

THE PARTY OF NO!!! thats what you'll get, Dems 2010!!!

The Republican party needs to do more in regards to the divisive relationship it has increasingly, overtly, and transparently displayed during and since the presidential primaries to the current. Most elected Republican officials never respond to the negative language of Limbaugh and others. It seems as though they support the rhetoric by saying nothing. Now that it seems as the the GOP may be losing votes in all minority sectors, that only now are they willing to speak against Limbaugh. I watch the interview of the Senate Minority Leader and, to me, what he gave for speaking against Limbaugh were for political positioning.

why do the gop senators keep caring what Rush thinks, he doesnt speak for the gop and he wasnt elected to any position for the gop so cares what he thinks...... hes a nasty man who should shut is mouth because the only thing that comes out of his mouth hateful comments. is this type of person the gop wants link themselves with?

Why are we wasting time getting into debates with Limbaugh, ex VP, and the likes who have NO political appointed position. They didn't do much when they had a job so what makes them so smart now????
Sick of it.
Bob

Now its going to be McConnell's turn to get on his knees and seek forgiveness from His Lardness.

You know guys, I'm sorry guys for not saying was up, it is a pretty big day for one of the original companies in this country and it is a big day but come on, are you guys worried? Are you worried about GM? Just look at some numbers, you won't be surprised...

Plus, haven't you heard what has the highest stock right now? You haven't heard? Plastic!!! LOL!!! Boy, is plastic raising the stock, they ain't playing around! You know recycling, right? You can recycle computers, MP3's, CD's, etc. It has stock baby, it has it!! As for GM, it is their lowest price in stock sinc eback in the Depression, that should tell you something...

But I'm telling you, plastic is the way to go baby, is the way to go...

Sounds like the republicans are finally starting to get it...we the American people want substantive debates and not childish, baseless, hateful ideal pushers.

Commentators are supposed to comment on important current events. The job National Republican Senatorial Committee is to determine if Sonia Sotomayor can be a fair and impartial Supreme Court Justice.
Now I ask you: Would a white man who has never experienced injustice, raceism, or hardships arive at better decisions because they don't have to "get even" for past injustices?
However, the National Republican Senatorial Committee doesn't appear to want to even consider that possibility.

When is John going to ask Rev Wright about the GM bailouts??

TO: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Mr. McConnell, if you actually do not agree with Limbaugh and Gingrich concerning their "racist" charges, you could simply say so without caveat or wheedling.

Your statement about not wanting to play "speech police" puts you at the bottom of those elected to uphold human rights and dignity-I guess you are just too busy to do your citizen's duty. Goodbye, sir.

Rush and Newt needs to be put out of their misery once and for all. They are ridiculously spewing hateful and negative talk. Enough is enough with them two. It's never anything good coming from their mouths except to their listening audience. I never heard of Rush Limbaugh until President Obama started running for office. And now you can't stop hearing Rush's name everywhere you turn. He has something negative to say about any and everything coming from the new president 's administrative office. And Newt isn't any better...just another parrot behind Rush.

I appreciate McConnell's maturity. I wish more of his party members would grow up.

While our soldiers are battling religious zealists and extremist around the world, are we supposed to sit here and listen to this idiot just because he is of a so-called Christian backed extremism and not Islamic? When you listen to Rush, it is like listening to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but with a Hitler style agenda. He does nothing but fuel the hatred and bigotry that most of the country is trying to rid itself of.

Sometimes freedom of speech can be a dangerous thing in the wrong hands. There is nothing there but a message of division and hate. He spews his ignorance as it has been done throughout history, in the guise of a religion. Wake up people, this is not what Christianity is supposed to be about.

No Sotomayor is not racists, but she is clearly prejudice about race. Exactly what Obama was looking for..

He failed to give a real opinion on the matter at hand.....he really could have rubuttled and rebuked the rampant offensive accusations spewing from the party......He could have seperated himself from the fray......It leads one to wonder if he slightly agrees w/ the hatespeak coming from the right.....A missed opportunity.......

CNN, the tabloid news corp...

McConnell is right. The GOP 'spokespeople' such as Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck and Coulter are giving the GOP horrible representation among mainstream America. Unfortunately, the GOP's base are the listeners of these 'spokesmen' and the religious right. At some point the GOP is going to have to confront this issue and decide if they are going to continue to appease this base or adopt positions more in line with the rest of America.

It's nice to see a spark of intelligence come from the GOP. Hopefully it won't be suffocated by the widespread ignorance residing in the party.

The elected Republicans will now try to distance themselves from the unelected leaders in an effort to cover their asses. They realize that the polarization of the nation which the unelected leaders are engaged is tearing their party apart and marginalizes their efforts to regain power in this nation. As long as the hate mongers run their mouths the Republican party will have trouble regaining any of the moderates who are vital in winning elections in this country. The elected leaders may agree with the rhetoric of the unelected ones but they can't afford politically to allow them to be preceived as the policy setters for the party.

Saying, "NO!" is hard work, and McConnell and the GOP are not able to multi-task.

Telling Rush and Newt that they are not helping the party would be political suicide for McConnell.

Amen McConnell!!! It is about time some one sees through this ignorance. Sotomayor is a qualified candidate which is the main reason she was selected.

Oh nooooo! Please keep it up Rush Lameballs! The more you open your fat, stupid, drugged-out mouth, the more you help us Dems to take more seats in 2010! Keep showing your neo-con party how ignorant and arrogant you and they continue to be by espousing what yall stand for! We LOVE it! McConnell is just scared because he knows what this is doing to the Resluglicans' chances in 2010 among Hispanics, the main group that made a difference in this past election, lol! Keep up the good work!

Well it's about time. Let us leave blowhard politics in our past.

Perhaps I might not go as far as calling Satomayor a flagrant racist, but some of her commetns and rulings have definitely shown a tendency to bring bias involving race and gender into her courtroom, and that is a big NO NO. I will watch with interest at how the ruling power – the democrats – handle the questioning – whether they totally whitewash it, or if they do there job. The lst thing with need on the court is a flaming liberal activist hellbent on leveling the playing field based on gender and race – that is contrary to our Constitution – you show NO bias or preference to anyone. Justice should be blind and not looking to see of the individual before the court is black, white, latino, or male or female.

There are 3 pre-eminent racists in this country : 3 white men called Gingrich, Cheney and pig Limbaugh.

this loser mcconnell does not have time to police everything his stupid party members are saying but you let the President or some other democrat call someone racist and i bet he will start policing those comments. This hyprocrite is only saying this because his fellow party member are really stepping over the line with the negative comments and names they are calling this supreme court nominee.

It doesn't matter how spineless repubs are as long as they actively work against the placement of a rascist on the supreme court.
Where is my new third party?

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is some LEADER who is afraid to repudiate unelected people like Rush and Newt Gingrich!!!

So much for a balanced Republican Party that is going to go down in flmes in 2010 elections!!!

Obama – Biden 2012

Seems like the republicans better start policing what the hate spewing right wing conservative fringe is putting out. They are being judged by all of that by the public. It seems to me that the party needs to get the control back from the lunatics who are running it.

Is there any chance that our government can move on with this
issue? All the derogatory talk about Sotomayor is disgusting, as is the Republican Party.

It's nice to see the ACTUAL Republican leaders being straightforward about this. There may be hope for them yet.

Poor Mitch can't manage to lead 40 Senators AND engage with the GOP leadership at the same time? Maybe he'll feel better if the Republicans lose another 10 seats in 2010.

Will someone in the Republican party standup to Limbaugh and tell him to shut up already!!! He's doing more harm to the party than anyone else in history.

You better listen to your party's leader or he will bash you on his stupid show.

While Gingrich has had some valid points, about some things in the Dems corner, Limbaugh is becoming irrelevant, as his positions are too extreme, even for decent Republicans.

Americans need to get away from the limitations of the 2 party system, altogether, as neither party is serving the citizens well.

Finally!

Rush is like Howard Stern and other radio heads. They're just there for entertainment. You can't take what they say serious. Their sole purpose is to increase ratings so sponsors make more money and you do that by saying what they say. All he is doing now is making the Democrats look better. The GOP should denounce him and save some face.

Get it right McConnell or no Hispanic vote for centuries to come.

I wish the bloody Republicans would start to understand that too. They are being childish. Of course, its not like thats anything new. They have been behaving this way since they lost.

Anytime rush name is mention gop looses more,it's time to tell this entertainer to shut the f.....up

PS. McConnell is a bigger racist than Sotomayor, and should admit that fact.

Funny how now several Republican Senators are stepping forward to speak out against the extremist talk that has been allowed to go virtually unchallenged for months now.

Funny how they only decided to do this when they realized their Party membership dropped to a woeful 21% and that they were alienating themselves from the vast majority of the country.

They blow with the wind. This new talk is only about damage control.

Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich have the nerve to call Sotomayor a racist–talking about hte pot call the kettle black….The only difference between
Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich and a klansman is that oinly the latter walks around with a hood. Racist hate is racist hate , whether its spewed from the months of robe men and women in field at night or whether its spewed from the the months of designer suited politicans or a plan-colthed bufoon pretrending to be a media personality…

At some point the GOP will have to make a decision as to whether they want a pill popping radio announcer to speak in a leadership position or prefer to drift around aimlessly.

Nothing new here – it was the same when the Democrats lost the White House in 2000: Rush Limbaugh was speaking for them at that time as well.

McConnell is certainly not the answer nor is that cartoon governor from Louisiana.

Mr McConnell should go back to school and get a real BA from a real University that teaches people from the backwoods how to think for themselves. He is a lemming who will follow the party line over the clifff. I do not know one person who is registered with either party who supports party issues more than 60-70% of the time. Why can't he vote in opposition when he knows the party is wrong? Most of us do. This man is a phony and should not be in office, and no one on either side who votes the party line should be. There are districts, for example that may vote a Republican in office and are 55% pro choice. So why do those people vote pro choice? By the same token, there are districts that vote in a Democrat but are 55% anti union. Why does that rep vote in favor of the unions. In effect, the people we elect only vote for their party, because they are so stupid to assume that they were elected because of the party line. That is, to quote our youth, "so untrue". We need to get these people out of office and have them find a real job where they can use their questionable ethics, honesty, and total lack of morality where their success can then be judged on their real feelings.

That is probably a really good idea. If we and the media ignore Limbaugh and Newt maybe they will just go away. Neither of them hold any elected office and they are not relevant to current discussions unless we allow them to be.

I can understand the point of view that "Ideally" judges are like the blind lady of justice holding the scale impartially and un-biased. But the fact of the matter is that NO ONE is totally un-influenced by that bias. What we hope is that people placed in those positions ignore those biases and render their decisions based on law and facts, period.

I hope that this push back is not just another attempt from the CONSERVATIVE RIGHT to stay in the public eye, to resist their ever deteriorating relevancy in this multi-faceted and diverse country.

That is right, that is not your job, that it ours!

CNN:

It is sad that the news organizations are playing politics by providing a derogatory synopsis of Judge Sotomayor's statement out of context. I would expect that from the Republican party but not from the 'unbiased' news media. This is simply poor new reporting!

KC
Stone Mountain, GA

More inflammatory rhetoric from Limbaugh. Glad to see the Repubs are maybe figuring out they can't move forward with divisiveness.

Gonna run this article to the ground, are ya, CNN? How about a comprehensive article showing how much money Obama threw at GM and then see it go bankrupt, anyway? THAT would be worth reading !!!!!!!!!!!! But - geeze - THAT would be REAL journalism - which is NOT CNN's bag.

Sure they have better things to do, gotta get back to wasting billions of our dollars on more bailouts and pork!!

Every once in a while, McConnell states something worth agreeing on. This is one such time.

I guess he has bee sent a new job description! In the past, as the country was in peak financial turmoil, it did not stop him or others from using the trade-mark Republican name calling.

Talk about a coward. Side step the issues as always. I guess he agrees with the other two clowns. The gop leadership has no balls. They are taking their leads from two morons. I guess 2010 should take care of the rest of them.

Obama made a terrible mistake on friday by caving in like he did,now the republicans want sotomayor to apologize for what she said 8yrs ago,if obama in robert gibbs wouldnot have caved in on friday like they did the republicans wont be talking about sotomayor apologizing because the gop was scared to death before the whitehouse took them off the hook.Sotomayor would have gotten 35 republicans to vote for her,but now because of gibbs in obama stupid decision to apologize sotomayor would be lucky to get even half of the republican vote,what obama did on friday was dumb in stupid,if he thought by doing what he did was going to make the situation better hes crazy,

Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich have the gaul to call Sotomayor a racist–talking about hte pot call the kettle black....The only difference between
Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich and a klansman is that oinly the latter walks around with a hood. Racist hate is racist hate , whether its spewed from the months of robe men and women in field at night or whether its spewed from the the months of designer suited politicans or a plan-colthed bufoon pretrending to be a media personality...

Sotomayor made racist remarks therfore she is a racist.

Liberals seem to have selective outrage about this. Where was the indignation when the term "racist" was used repeatedly as a bludgeon to end all discourse by so called civil rights leaders or left wing democrats. Furthermore, Sotomayor's comment certainly carries the whiff of bigotry and needs to be explained. We will see if Republicans will behave better than Ted Kennedy and his ilk who shamelessly vilified Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas.

Hmm... reminds me of the organ grinder and his monkey in the old Peter Sellers' movie – when the good old Inspector chastizes the organ grinder, he claims he is not doing it, and asks the inspector to chastize the monkey!

However, in this case, the monkey, a 650-lb gorilla, seems to be in charge!

McConnell & Cornyn will be on Rush's show appologizing soon...

What? You don't want to sound mean-spirited and hateful? But those are core Republican family values!! How do you expect to win elections if you stray away from your party's platform? Now get out there and call her a Mexican wetback like Rush does.

At least Cornyn answered the question honestly.
Where as McConnell once again proved himself a hypocrite and a phony by dancing around the question and not really answering it.
He too is obviously scared of Rush.

Plus ! John King must learn how to keep their feet to the fire and answer the questions he asks, especially since most all his questions are softballs. Where are your follow ups John ?

CNN, your headline is an exaggeration. I saw the interview, and even if I hadn't, the quote is clear. He is not necessarily in conflict, he is just not going to monitor Boss Limbaugh.

I am no fan of either man, but you have this wrong.

Was John King's three hour Republican lovefest so devoid of content that CNN has to repeat a blog they ran as the first story all day yesterday??

"Mr" Linbaugh and "Mr" Gingrich are a couple of wanna be's, and will never be more than what they are, attention getter's with wild statements about others, they should look in the mirror, maybe they would be surprised to see what is there, radical individuals, and who care's what they have to say, not I. Ann

Republicans have been left with the dilemma of defining the difference between being a conservative and being a reactionary. Rush and Coulter, etc., if not Reactionaries, use the rhetoric of Reactionaries. Most Republicans are conservatives. However when the party dialogue is manipulated by Reactionary rhetoric the rational conservative voice is dampened. Conservatives are left being portrayed as moderates or liberals. Quite ironic, and not at all healthy for the party or the country.

I think the GOP is insane. I can tell you now Judge Sotomayor has more experience than any of the Judes that sits on the Supreme court right now. There should be no reason to vote against this nominee.

Finally the elected republican officials are growing a set and going against their defatso leader Limbaugh. Limbaugh explosion in 3....2....1

I feel another apology coming on.....

Sadly, Mitch McConnell is yet again taking a cynical cop out. He claims that he doesn't support the angry rhetoric of the radical right, but simultaneously doesn't step in to say that it isn't fair or accurate for fear of alienating the "Limbaugh's" of the party. Sadly, this is the type of behavior that is making moderate Republicans a rare breed – they won't stand up to the extreme conservatives of their party, so they have to bear the responsibility of their colleagues' polemics.

Limbaugh and other commentators l(eft and right) play a role in national politics. In my view they sometimes say outrageous things for entertainment value. This marginalizes their opnions and shifts the focus from the issues to the commentator. They could tone it down a bit.

For example..I used to be a Hannity fan..however, he beats the same drum over and over....got boring. On the left it is moslty name calling instead of discussing issues....more boring.

I think it's time for Mitch, Steele and the GOP to grow UP!!!

And now we have the Republicans playing good-cop-bad-cop.

Pathetic.

so the repubs are acting like the dems (let's all hate an unelected radio guy-so if they hit him would that be a hate crime??)?

how weird is that!

So you have "better things to do than police speeches"? Well, Mitch, someone has to do the job. The Republican Party is dragged through the mire every time Newt Gingrich, Dick Cheney, and Rush Limbaugh open their ugly mouths. They are the voice of the GOP, yet not one of these self-righteous hate-mongers currently holds public office or is responsible to constituents of any kind! And talk about "advancing the nation's agenda," what kind of advance are you talking about? The Republicans on Capital Hill need to get busy doing the job they were elected to do: making positive input to impending legislation instead of acting as mindless obstructionists.

To Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich for calling Sotomayor a "racist": It takes one to know one. As for McConnell, he's just too chicken to talk down the leader of the Republican Party.

Well, as of today, this is still USA where everybody can darn well say whatever is on our minds. We realize that this freedom is washing away with the liberal tide headed by Obama and his creepy minions. Watch the fool grin, even as he is giving his insidious instructions to his followers to destroy the USA.

John Cornyn is right. The hate-speak coming from the GOP side is hideous! I was talking to a fellow parishioner at church yesterday and she was disgusted with the Republicans attacks on Sotomayor. Most women I know are thrilled with another woman being nominated to the highest court.

Many people I have spoken to have never been polled, but they belong to the ever-growing-sane-middle that is America! By and large our Nation is full of fair and moderate people. The GOP should be very careful whom they allow to be their "speaker" ......... Limbaugh and the other haters turn America off.

This is just a smokescreen while UAW execs become multimmilionaires from money taken from taxpayers and given by Obama to his big union buddies.

Pretty sad commentary on the state of the gop. The talk from the right – from the "titular head" of the party limbaugh and gingrich has been disgusting. If they ever hope for their party to regain lost ground with women and latino voters, they sure have a funny way of going about it. I think it's disgusting that more voices have not been heard railing against the comments coming from those speaking for the gop. Disgusting. Whatever happened to backbone and common decency – it's obvious that very few if any in the republican party have any spine or sense of decency.

Why do you think you dumb-ass republicans do not have any
credibility at all? The fact that you pay any mind to that loud mouthed,
overweight drug addict called Limbaugh scares the hell out of
anyone. Why would I want to vote for any of you. The bunch of you
old cronies need to go away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

elected office holders need to hold their tongue on sotomayor. they all need the hispanic vote. rush and newt do not hold public office so they, and others like them, can rake sotomayor over the coals but to no avail. elected officials don't want to lose the hispanic or black votes.

Until the republican party decides who and what it is, they will be represented by idiots like Druggie rush, and grinnin idiot Gringrich. Its sad that a woman that is so qualified will hve to tolerate a drug addict, and a womanizer leading the opposition. Just show's how low the republican party is.

What a coward. Every Republican is afraid of the big bad Rush LImbaugh who never even went to college. Maybe when the Republicans can find leaders with huevos and integrity they will again become the party of Ronald Reagan but now they are just a joke. All dancing to the tune of some idiot on the radio. Pathetic.

Bush Sr. helped her get in the door so what is the problem GOP

Yeah, because Mitch has sooooo much room to talk.

the republicans can shut the hell up. bums

Rush Limbaugh needs to just stop talking all together. no one cares what he thinks or takes him seriously. hes more of an annoyance than anything. he's just looking for any little excuse to get some attention and to complain about everything that's not going his way. why people listen to him I'll never understand

I agree that we shouldn't have to deal with the "speech police" in this country.
But we are getting nowheres with all this hating and all this partisan, vicious talk. And I mean BOTH SIDES need to tone it down, for the sake of this country and the American people.
Enough is enough.

Yeah...but if it had been a DEMOCRAT who labeled, oh let's say Clarence Thomas, a racist, we would never hear the end of it and the "speech police" from the right would be out in full force. These right wingers are such phonys and hipocrites!!!

Rush, has done what so many in America do, made a name selling garbage, and Newt's better day are gone

Did the Republicans say racist? Now that's funny

Or is he really saying as the Senate Minority Leader he has no control or influence over what is said in the name of his party? The comments they make do have a negative overtone that reflects on the Republican Party.

Now, yes I know, free speech, but are they not on the same team?

I am an active hispanic voter and contribute to candidates of my choice.

I have never voted for Senator Cornyn but, provided he does not apologize to Rush as other Republicans have, I will remember his statement on the hearings for Judge Sotomayer when he runs again.

I agree and applaud him, hope he's got his safety gear on for all the crap the lunatic conservatives will be throwing at him.

Hey Rush, your words are falling on deaf ears now!
When will you shut up, and stop spreading poison?

The Republican party today has become a laughing stalk when Rush Limburgh & Dick cheney appears to be be the partys model for change "it is unfortunate that the party of Ronald Regan is reduced to a radio talk show anchor moments model "what a shame"

For Mitch to be the top ranking republican, not speaking out agianst the extreme right wing comments from his party shows that he is a terrible leader.

Hahahahaha....and the party just keeps eating away at itself....so much fun to watch ~

Democrats are such hypocrites. How quickly they forget how they were with Clarence Thomas and Alberto Gonzalez. They have total control and are destroying this country, all they are doing is showcasing.

It's so funny how the right wing of the republican party is trying to label Judge Sotomayor as a racit. THE GOP IS REALLY A PARTY OF HIPPOCRITES.
The last time i check the GOP national convention or all the political rallies of the 2008 election, all i see is 99.99% white attendees while the population of USA is only 40% white.
I haven't seen the media asking any questions about that.
WHAT PARTY IS THE PARTY OF RACISTS. I bet you don't need a master degree to figure that up unless you are blind.

The GOP leadership acting like adults? Unpossible.

There were almost 300 comments made on this article over the w/e....Where did they go? I say again, Sen. McConnell's statement was a cop out.....He's too afraid to call the outrageous attacks against Judge Sotomayor stupid.......He chose to be neutral....Coward....

I'm a Democrat, but I do believe in a two party system. However the Republicans and doing everything they can to deminish their party. They are a party with a drowning man's plan for survival. They are grabbing everything that's floating by, but don't realize they are in waist deep water.

Well................that's is good news.

Now, on with the hearing and then the appointment.

This Nation has alot of buiness to attend to.

It puzzles me that the elected leadership of the Republican party have given away their power to a drug addict who lacks the guts to run for anything, let alone political office or a certfied leadership role within the party (I am an independent, by the way). Look, Rush may have 20 million listeners (or so he says) but do they all vote? Limbaugh has his own agenda and that is to maintain his well-paying job.

At last this dude realized the truth....they have better things such as fixing health care (government involvement in health care, certainly not private rogues with greed) Put PAs in rural practice as general medicine practioners for cost cuts...in health care, so that hospitals would not rob, nor doctors ))...economy and energy indipendence...immigration etc., to do than poking on each other...needlessly...like newt gingrich, and others...just woke up this man....thanks for this...

This woman has shown she is willing to discrimminate against people based on race, sex and culture. The law is supposed to protect us from discrimmination, not embody it.

If it were a white man or women who said the things she said and judged racism cases the way she has, that white man or women would be called racist and would never be appointed to the Supreme Court. Why is it OK for her? Because she's spanish? Because Obama appointed her? It doesn't make sense. Racism shouldn't happen at all whether you are white, black, hispanic, etc.

Horrible Choice for a Supreme Court Justice.

As far as the dispute between GOP, that's fine. People have opinions and they disagree. The media, once again is making way to big of a deal about this. Focus on the matter at hand, that this person should NOT have even been thought of to be appointed to the supreme court.

Come on GOP dig your own grave. Fillibuster Sotomayor.
Obama say's " You ain't Seen nothing yet". You like playing politics by pleasing your base and denigre qualified people but at the same time your party is full of empty barrils making noise.
Obama ain't kerry to swift boat. he is a savy and to my point the most skilled politician of the 21st century and you will be exposed.
Watch out or your party will never regain the white house again. You know why?
1. The root of politics is in demography. USA is not 70% white anymore.
2. We have something called the internet so you can't lie no more.
3. The politics of fear is the only tool you have left after the race politics, the GGG politics has failed and the majority of people are not even bying into that fear mongering anymore.

Rush holds no political office and Newt got thrown out of his so why anyone would put any value to their off the wall comments is beyond me. They obvious didn't read/listen to Sotomeyer whole speech. There isn't anything "racist" in the comment she made. It was a comparison.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a safe bet to call it a duck. "I'm a better judge than a white man because I'm Latina and a woman".

Racism and sexism – all in one neat little package.

Wrong, Senator. It is your resposibility to tell Limabugh and other non-elected personalityies they are not contributing to the adult discussion about Sotomayor's qualifications. You are the Minority Leader of the United States Senate, so please act like one. If you do, you might get re-elected to your current position after the mid-term elections by what will be left of your caucus.

All 2 or 3 of you.

It's about time cooler heads in the Republican party prevailed. The type of invective from Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich have no place in today's political climate. Their remarks are almost cartoonish and are not representative of mainstream Republicans.

I really pay no attention to what " fat slob Rush " has to say. What a big mouth jerk!

Don't worry, they'll be crawling to LImbaugh begging for forgiveness for their sin of disobedience soon enough. Anyone who thinks Rush isn't runing things in the GOP just isn't paying attention.

"I think it's terrible," said McConnell. "But I haven't got the stones to go against my party chairman, Rush Limbaugh, and actually say it WAS terrible. The best I can do is to say that in MY opinion, but not my party's, it's terrible." Then he eased on down the yellow brick road, humming "If I Only Had The Nerve."

Finally somebody is taking the grown-up position in this party!

Finally... the Republicans are starting to act like decent politicians (again) who don't attack everyone who's not on board with them on everything.

Ol' Mitch just doesn't have the stones to take on Rush.

Everyone knows that Republicans have "better things to do" than to cry and divide. The problem is that they refuse to do those "better" things.

Translated, Mitch McConnell cannot control any of the fascist wing of the party and chooses to stay out of the debate knowing he cannot get them to behave like human beings or change their thinking to anything resembling normalcy. It is time for the nation to realize this party is and has been led by racists and bigots for several decades and is rapidly descending into an abyss of its own making.

The country is no longer buying the fear and smear tactics used since the Nixon years by the Repugnicans to get their way. The southern strategy of using racist fear-mongering to hold onto the white vote has backfired and they are now recognized for what they are; a group with no ideas, no alternatives and no character. Only a handful of religious zealots and white supremacists still holdout and spew venom at any ideas put forward to try and repair the damage done from almost forty years of uninterrupted Repugnican rule.

Rush needs to take an extended vacation so people can focus on fixing this country. His rhetoric is not only damaging and cruel, but clearly shows his distaste for anything moderate. Simply put, Rush doesn't care about his country at all, only his philosophy of hate and derision.

Rush, a sexist-racst calling others racist is a nice touch. Your credibility (if you had any left) is all but gone.

How long will it be before Senator Cornyn apologises to Rush and Newt? Anyone who goes against those two demagogues eventually has to kowtow to them. Cornyn is another lackey for the Republicant party that will have to reverse his tone or suffer the wrath of Rush and Newt, the real leaders of the GOP.

Until the GOP can get a handle on the political "protiteers"like Limbaugh, Hannity, Colter, etc. I can't see how they (GOP) are going to be a viable force in American politics. I can't believe that more than about 20% of people in the U.S. actually agree with Limbaugh. You can't win elections on 20%.

Taking the high ground with these thugs will get you nowhere.

In this case this may be the wisest personal statement Mc Connell Has made in years. As apolitical statement it is more Repug criticism without action. No need to get exited Dems the Repugs are self destructing with Limbaugh and Gingerich leading the way!

[...] doesn't much care for what Newt and Rush have been saying about that Sotomayor woman, however... "Look. I've got a big job to do dealing with 40 Senate Republicans and trying to [...]

This is the same party of yester-year. They charged the Barack Obama used the reversed racism in the election (just before they got extremely negative). I feel sorry for the republican party because their cards have long been displayed to this country. But as long as they keep playing these games the entire world will soon learn of their ways. BTW: I thought we were trying to eradicate racism??????

McConnell is a shrewed man. Avoid the conflict and let Rush and Newt do his talkig for him.

What is so disgusting is that for two hundred plus years only white males influenced the jurisprudence of our country. It is unreasonable to believe that they did no bring their own prejudices of the eras in which they lived to their decisions.

Individual or group problem solving comes from Individual or group experience. I agree with Ms. Sotomayor that someone (in this case a member of several "disadvantages" groups) can better problem solve than someone from a group who has not had the same experiences.

Minimally Sotomayor will bring additonal perspective to the Court. After all, it is the majority decision of the nine which rules, not only one Supreme Court Justice.

The "speech police", a job best left for the Democrats.

McConnell has plenty of time to play speech police. Last year he had to deal with 49 Republican Senators. Now he only has 40 to deal with and in two years he'll probably only have 35 to deal with due to the GOP base shrinking to only include angry, white, straight, right wing men.

Nice attempt at diversion Senator, but no sale. Apparently you agree with Limbaugh.

Sotomayer's Latina women comment was silly, not racist. Even smart people make silly comments on occasion. Let's stop playing gotcha and judge her on her record.

[...] about Rush Limbaugh as of June 1, 2009 McConnell: Better things to do than play 'speech police' – politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com 06/01/2009 FromCNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney(CNN) – Senate [...]

These Republicans that are trying to distance themselves from Limbaugh are fakes. They are only doing it to cover their own political hide. Deep down, they feel the same was as Limbaugh and the rest of these right-wing scumbags.

Republicans are intolerant racists, elitists, war mongers, Wall Street lovin', gun-totin', tobacco chewing, George W. Bush votin' rednecks.

Boycott lush limpaugh! Boycott CNN's John King!

The Party of NO votes in a block and the spread their lies and propaganda the same way.

They're beginning to feel the heat of their negative actions, so they pretend to change.

Rush, you're losing control of your flock.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then....it's a duck.