Former President GHW Bush stands up for Sotomayor
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/06/12/art.ghwbush.gi.jpg caption="Former President George H.W. Bush stood up for his former judicial nominee Sonia Sotomayor Friday."]
(CNN)–Former President George H.W. Bush stood up for his former judicial nominee Sonia Sotomayor Friday, telling HLN Anchor Robin Meade that GOP critics who called President Obama's Supreme Court pick a racist were off-base, and unfair.
"I don't know her that well but I think she's had a distinguished record on the bench and she should be entitled to fair hearings. Not – [it's] like the senator John Cornyn said it," he told CNN. "He may vote for it, he may not. But he's been backing away from these...backing off from those radical statements to describe her, to attribute things to her that may or may not be true.
"And she was called by somebody a racist once. That's not right. I mean that's not fair. It doesn't help the process. You're out there name-calling. So let them decide who they want to vote for and get on with it."
High-profile Republican voices like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh had both accused the judge of racism for her past comment that a "wise Latina" might make more informed judicial decisions than a white male. Gingrich later backed away from that assessment.
Cornyn had urged Republicans to avoid labeling Sotomayor a racist, calling that brand of criticism unhelpful to the process.
Related: President Bush weighs in this afternoon on his legacy — and why he won’t be writing a tell-all
From CNN Politics
- Ketanji Brown Jackson to join a Supreme Court in turmoil
- Top 10 Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
- Untitled
- States can prosecute non-tribal members who commit crimes on Native American reservations, Supreme Court says
- First on CNN: Environmental groups sue Biden administration over climate and wildlife impact of drilling lease sale
- Iran nuclear deal talks in Doha end without progress
This was the last POTUS that had true integrity, ethics, or values worthy of being called president. The last 3 have been immoral buffoons with the following of a radical electorate that thinks with emotion rather than reason.
The Republican who put Souter on the SCOTUS long ago destroyed his own credibility. He should be ashamed to speak about SCOTUS.
Isn't amazing to see some dignity in the republican party. Remember how it use to be ? One thing about George #1 he was not a hate monger and ran a pretty good campaign compared to the current crop. They should take a lesson from him
To Steve in MIch---How's the economy going up there in the Detroit area and the whole state for that matter with the Democratic leadership in place?
First time I ever agreed with a Bush. I am leaning towards Sotomayor too, just hope she will not trample on women's rights...that is my main concern.
JB,
The reason so much vitriol has been hurled at Dumbya is not just partisan politics as usual.
His administration completely wiped out a budget surplus and left us totally bankrupt – financially and morally.
He started a no-end, no-win war that has thrown the Middle East into even more turmoil than before and directed the rage of the entire Muslim world at the US.
He also left us alienated from all of our former allies (except the brainless puppet in the UK) and the laughingstock of the world.
This one man has done more damage to our country than any nation or group of terrorists ever could.
This is why criticism of Obama is no where near the level of the criticism that Dumbya has encountered, and will continue, to receive. He is simply the most destructive president we have ever had.
I feel sorry for his father who at least had intelligence and discretion to his credit.
TO JON IN CA:
If you bothered to do any research you would learn that Sotomayor has more years on the Federal bench than any of the current
Supreme Court justices. She is MORE than qualified.
Why are the lefties so angry? They are angry and scared because they have a sense that their triumph is a precarious one. Dems won in 2006/2008 in some part because of the cycles of American politics, reps were exhausted/corruption/scandals and Americans wanted to give dems the power to do what they said they could do for the betterment of our country. Now, having won, they are unsure of how long their victory will last. They see that they have a very small window of opportunity to do all the things they want, because they know in their deep dark hearts that the vast majority of the American people wouldnt go for all the things they want to do. So they are frantic to do as much as possible before the opposition coalesces and the tea parties might be the beginning of that coalescence
I listened to her whole speech. My understanding when listening to the speech in its entirety was that she, as a Hispanic woman, is a better judge of the needs of Hispanic women than a white man. When you pull the one sentence from the context of the entire speech, it sounds racist. But when put in the context of which she was speaking, it changes the meaning of the sentence.
For those of you who don't remember, George Sr. lost because of his televised statement: "Read my lips. No new taxes." Then, he went back on his word, and raised taxes anyhow. Then his son came in and continued to cut taxes even against the advice of his own people, because of his "daddy," then went after Saddam partly, because, "he made death threats against my daddy." The Bushes are truly like Billy Zane's character in Titanic – they truly believe their kind is better than everyone else, and we are worth nothing except fodder to keep them in their lifestyle. The sad part is that so many Americans hide behind racism and fear of change by voting for these old establishment, Ivy League preppies, who have never done anything for them. The only other issue used to vote for these guys is abortion. While I understand it is a painful, complex issue, no one should vote for someone based on one issue. Ever. I would not vote for Charles Manson simply because he would legalize marijuana. Nor did I ever vote for Bush.
Sotomeyer is anti second amendment and so is Obama, I had to quit reading the comments. it sounds like CNN these people are all to young or dumb to know they are giving up all the freedom it took over 200 years to get ad fight for. the lady has problems and Obama has worse ones he's rather run companies then countries, Wait and see you'll be crying by 2010
This is an opportunity to admire a man that I didn't often agree with.
I don't think that ANYONE should give her a pass, but give her the chance you wanted for your candidates... If she's another Harriet Meyers, we'll see that soon enough, but I don't think she is.
What she said could have been BETTER said, but, in the context of her whole speech, it made sense.
We ALL misspeak. If that's all you have on her, vote her in and let her get to work.
Yom, the only Bush that has class is George Sr. Mrs. Bush lost the respect of many an American when she commented on the living conditions of the Katrina evacuees whom were relocated to the Houston Astrodome. She said in effect that the evacuees whom were staying at the Astrodome had better living conditions in a cramped baseball stadium than they did back home in Louisiana.
I actually like that Bush family. Old George and Barb, Laura, Georgie, Jeb, even the Bush daughters. Even if you don't agree with them, they discuss the issues and don't personally attack their opponents. Maybe some day Jeb will want to run for President.
CNN calls this a "slam" of the criticism?
Your editors need editors who actually understand language.
This whole "what would you say if I said I hoped a wise white man blahdeblah" is such a colossal red herring. Why? Because most politically correct folks would say, "I think back to the time when I was X years old, and my daddy told me Y, and I've held that principle near and dear to my heart my whole life and that's why blahdeblah."
All the conservatives are cranky about is that Sotomayor wasn't PC enough. Interesting how quickly they started waving the PC flag, eh?
I guess all the good natured Republicans left when George did. The remaining ones are imploding.
Thanks for your good words GHW Bush. And to that no one can say a sweet apple like W did not fall for from the tree.
A true politician and public servant. An absolute class act. GHB represented the real republicans and its ideology. Steele, Gingrich, Limbaugh, Cheney are disgrace to their party and this country.
I thought Pappy Bush had a Mediocre Presidency, but I agree with him on this statement.
The GOP ain't what it used to be. You tell them Bush 41! 😀
She was picked because she filled in two of Rahm Emmanuals boxes, she's a woman and she's Hispanic. It's racial politics, plain and simple. What else would you expect from Obama and his "empathy" theory of constitutional interpretation?
Gingrich, Rush, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Ann Coltergist. Now that is a lineup the GOP should be real proud of. They are taking the party down, and destroying America. And the sad thing about it is they have convinced many narrow minded individuals to perpetrate acts of violence and hate. I cannot go through the day without hearing a dim witted statement about Obama or something else that sprouted from these folks above. Can't the GOP followers see that they make a living by stirring up hate.
This Bush actually seems to have a brain what happened to his son?
Daddy Bush is a smart and wise man.......I am a democrat but I voted for him, the GOP has forgotten their Roots, they have let the far right religous take over their party and in doing so they are flushing themselves down the sewer
Since George H W Bush left office, a lot has left the Republican party. Its decency, honor, and elegance.