Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor faced a full day of questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday that focused largely on her past comments on the roles of race and personal experience in a judge's decision-making process. As the AP reports, Sotomayor "backed away from perhaps the most damaging words that had been brought up" since her nomination. Referring to her 2001 comment "suggesting that a 'wise Latina' judge would usually reach better conclusions than a white man," the nominee "called the remark 'a rhetorical flourish that fell flat.'" Sotomayor "also distanced herself from the man who nominated her." She said, "I wouldn't approach the issue of judging in the way the President does. Judges can't rely on what's in their heart." Sotomayor will return for another day of questioning today. The AP says there was "for all the pointed questioning," there was "little doubt" that Sotomayor would be confirmed.
The CBS Evening News reported Sotomayor's "Republican critics were respectful but tough as they zeroed in" on the "wise Latina" remark. Sotomayor "did not back down, however, from her belief that a person's background impacts judging." Sotomayor: "Life experiences have to influence you. We're not robots." NBC Nightly News reported Sotomayor "disagreed today with President Obama's statements that judges need empathy." ABC World News reported. "On abortion, she said there's a right to privacy, or so the Supreme Court has ruled. ... On gun rights, she walked a fuzzy line. ... On affirmative action, she quoted Sandra Day O'Connor." Sotomayor: "It is firmly my hope...that in 25 years race in our society won't be needed to be considered in any situation."
USA Today reports Sotomayor insisted "under pointed questioning that her ethnicity and gender will not influence her decisions" if confirmed. The Washington Post reports Sotomayor "proclaimed her neutrality and objectivity, even suggesting at points that she does not share the view of President Obama, who chose her to fill his first vacancy on the nation's highest court, that empathy is an essential trait for a judge."
The Wall Street Journal reports Republicans suggested Sotomayor "was changing her views to get through her confirmation hearings." McClatchy reports Sen. Lindsey Graham "summed up the view of skeptics: 'I listen to you, I think I'm listening to Judge Roberts.'" But the Los Angeles Times says "skeptical Republicans did no serious damage" to the nomination "as an unruffled" Sotomayor "cautiously, if at times ploddingly, fended off sharp questions." Republicans "all but conceded that Sotomayor would be easily confirmed." The New York Times says that "for all of the buildup, the second day of her confirmation hearings produced few of the anticipated fireworks."
Judiciary Committee Democrat Ben Cardin said on MSNBC's Ed Show, "I think she did very well. She answered all the questions rather thoroughly." Fellow Judiciary Committee Democrat Arlen Specter, discussing the "wise Latina" uproar, said on MSNBC's Hardball, "She's just trying to put out a mild fire. ... It is by no means a major matter, certainly not a disqualifier."
ABC World News reported last night that House Democrats have "unveiled their sweeping plan for healthcare reform. ... The price tag? More than $1 trillion." The New York Times says House Democrats "took a big step toward guaranteeing health insurance for most Americans" only "a day after President Obama pressured Democratic leaders to speed work on his top domestic priority." Roll Call reports White House officials "promise" Obama "will be more engaged than ever...on health care this month and next."
The Los Angeles Times calls the bill "among the most liberal of several competing blueprints for revamping the system." The Wall Street Journal reports that the legislation "would hit all but the smallest businesses with a penalty equal to 8% of payroll if they fail to provide health insurance to workers." Additionally, according to McClatchy, a "surtax" would "start at 1 percent, rise to 1.5 percent on those with incomes of more than $500,000 and increase to 5.4 percent on incomes of more than $1 million." According to USA Today, "A majority of Americans, 58%, supported increasing income taxes on the wealthy to pay for health care."
The Washington Times reports that the PhRMA, "the trade group of the pharmaceutical industry, said it won't support the bill because of changes in the Medicare Part D benefit, which it said would constitute a tax increase on seniors." The Politico says Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, "did not strip a provision that reinstates price controls on drugs purchased by low income seniors. The rebates will cost drug companies more than $50 billion." According to McClatchy, "Budget experts both left and right fear that Obama is seeking to offset these new funding obligations by tinkering with the tax code on the margins, yielding what they call 'phantom savings' that may not materialize."
Senate Passage Considered A Long Shot The AP says the House bill "seemed unlikely to win broad backing in the Senate." The Washington Post also reports that the bill "has drawn sharp attacks from Republicans and is already creating friction with Democrats in the Senate. 'Tax is a four-letter word' with voters, said Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.).'" According to the Financial Times, the bill could "act as a lightning rod for Republican opposition during the summer."
Blue Dogs Want More Cuts Roll Call notes centrist House Democrats' Blue Dog coalition "will try and squeeze additional cost cutting through amendments to the bill in the markup." Rep. Mike Ross (D AR), leader of the Blue Dogs' health task force, "said...'reform that does not meet the President's goal of substantially bringing down costs is not an option.'" The Hill reports Rep. Baron Hill (D IN) "said Blue Dogs want to control costs and address regional disparities in Medicare payments." Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D AZ), co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, "emerged from a meeting" with House Speaker Pelosi "saying he wasn't worried about leadership's efforts to win Blue Dog support. He said Pelosi assured him it won't affect the Progressive Caucus's top priority of a public option."
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The CBS Evening News showed President Obama in Michigan yesterday saying, "We will probably continue to see unemployment tick up for several months." Obama, added CBS, "once predicted it would top out at eight percent. It's now 9.5%." The AP similarly reports, "Obama's top economic advisers released a report predicting unemployment would remain at 8 percent or below through this year if an economic stimulus plan won congressional approval." And "instead, it is headed toward double digits." The Wall Street Journal reports that while "he said he doesn't have a 'crystal ball,' Mr. Obama said he anticipates unemployment will follow historical trends and lag 'for some time' even after an economic recovery begins." The Hill notes White House press secretary Robert Gibbs "told reporters aboard Air Force One that the stimulus plan is 'ahead of pace,' both 'in Michigan and throughout the country.'"
According to The Politico, "With budget deficits and unemployment rising, criticism of his handling of the economy is mounting as well. The adoring crowds that greeted him in the early months of his presidency gave way today to an audience that needed convincing." The AP reports Obama "acknowledged the problem of debt but said again that the only way to start reducing deficits is to reform the health care system, his dominant legislative priority." The Politico says Obama's "economic forecasts for long-term growth are too optimistic, many economists warn, a miscalculation that would mean budget deficits will be much higher than the administration is now acknowledging."
The Wall Street Journal reports that as a candidate, President Obama "pledged that he wouldn't abuse the presidential signing statement," but "after Mr. Obama's issuance of his second signing statement last month, even some Democrats say he isn't keeping his word on reining in unilateral presidential actions. 'Of course there's a broader issue here,' said House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D., Mass.), referring to the brewing battles with Mr. Obama over presidential prerogative. 'It's outrageous. It's exactly what the Bush people did.'" In a letter, Frank, House Appropriations Committee chairman Rep. David Obey, and Reps. Nita Lowey and Gregory Meeks "will inform the president that if he issues another signing statement on IMF and World Bank funding, Congress will cut off the funds he wants."
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The Bridgeton News reports that a Quinnipiac University survey of 1,514 New Jersey likely voters conducted July 8-12 shows challenger Chris Christie (R) leading New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) 53%-41%, with 6% undecided. Last month's Quinnipiac survey showed Christie leading Corzine 50%-40%. The New York Post says the poll shows Corzine's "popularity is at an all-time low," while The Politico says the findings are "stoking fears among Democrats about a recession-fueled backlash against their party heading into the 2010 midterms. ... In an alarming sign for Corzine, independents are flocking to Christie: The former prosecutor leads with independents 64 percent to 28 percent - compared with his 56-to-32 lead a month ago." Meanwhile, the AP reports, "'Apprentice' winner Randal Pinkett may be auditioning for a different role: New Jersey lieutenant governor. Pinkett's name is among those being floated for the No. 2 spot on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket." The AP adds that Pinkett's name "has emerged as an out-of-the-box pick with the potential to energize the crucial African American base. Pinkett is African American."
The Las Vegas Sun reports Nevada Sen. John Ensign (R) said this week that "not only does he have no intention of resigning in light of his affair and his parents' payout to the woman's family," he plans to seek reelection to his seat in 2012. Ensign told the Sun, "I fully plan on running for reelection. I'm going to work to earn their respect back." Ensign also said "his support is coming from his fellow senators as well as those 'on both sides' of Senate leadership. Ensign said his supporters are telling him, 'Keep your head up. This thing will pass.'"
The Dallas Morning News reports that Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) yesterday "dismissed" Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's (R) "fundraising prowess" and suggested "he's still not convinced she will challenge him in the" GOP gubernatorial primary. The News adds, "Asked if he was suggesting that Hutchison would quit the race, he replied: 'It's always a possibility.' Hutchison spokesman Hans Klingler derided that as 'wishful thinking.'" The AP says Perry "has questioned before whether Hutchison will end up running for governor, and she has shied away from the contest against Perry in previous election years after considering it," but this time, "she has put together a large state campaign organization and has raised millions of dollars."
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Conan O'Brien: "More details are coming out about Judge Sotomayor. Apparently, she's a big New York Yankee fan. ... This is good news for the Yankees because they really need a strong lefty off the bench."
Jimmy Fallon: "President Obama...attended the All-Star Game in St. Louis tonight. ... He was there to give a...bailout to whoever was losing in the 9th inning. That was nice of him."
Jimmy Fallon: "President Obama's teleprompter fell to the ground and shattered yesterday during a speech on the economy. Wow, even speeches about the economy are crashing. That's bad. That's not good."
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