CNN

Watch Sen. Lott get emotional in a press conference after Southwick was confirmed.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Senate Wednesday confirmed President Bush's controversial nominee Judge Leslie Southwick to the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals by a vote of 59-38.

Some Democrats, including the Congressional Black Caucus, had opposed Southwick's nomination, raising questions over the racial sensitivity of some of his rulings.

Speaking after the Senate vote, an emotional Sen. Trent Lott praised Southwick, a fellow Mississippian.

"This is emotional for me because this is a good man, he'll make a great judge," the Republican senator said. "On behalf of my state - which I feel has been maligned, in this and other instances - we appreciate it."

Lott later told CNN's Ted Barrett and Dana Bash why he got emotional over this particular judicial nomination.

"I just get emotional when I start talking about what it means to our state," he said. "Some of the statements out there really were just bashing our state. That really hurts. Hurts my feelings, hurts my state."

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