David Souter Retiring, Obama gets to make first SCOTUS pick

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I don't really remember anyone back in 1991 playing up Clarence Thomas's background when it's just as humble, if not more so, than Sotomayor's. There's a double-standard for sure, but it's also probably based on the fact that GHWB's base wasn't into the "back story" the way that many liberals are.
The fact that he was a good jurist was enough for the GOP back then--why isn't it for the left wing today?

I wouldn't go so far as to label it a double-standard -- I remember personal background and the rise from humble beginnings being talked about quite a bit for Thomas as well.

Nor would I call it a conservative vs liberal thing, necessarily. Way too tidy.

It has only been 48 hours or so since the news broke. It's premature to start comparing the coverage of Sotomayor to that of Thomas (or anyone else) unless you're going to limit the comparison to the first 48 hours of coverage on Thomas. In those first few days, media-types haven't necessarily had time to pour over her decisions to get a feel for her jurisprudence, so they focus on what they can talk about quickly -- background and personal story. Meanwhile, when Obama talks about the "empathy" factor, he is talking in terms of jurisprudence, not just "what a great story."

Whether background and personal story will continue to occupy the media's attention through the confirmation process remains to be seen.

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I wouldn't go so far as to label it a double-standard -- I remember personal background and the rise from humble beginnings being talked about quite a bit for Thomas as well.

As do I. There was much talk about him 'pulling himself up by his bootstraps' leaving the segregated south (some small town in SE GA near Savannah--can't remember the name) to go to school in the North, etc. And if I remember correctly he was totally or partially raise by a single parent with the help of his grandfather who was uneducated. The somewhat unspoken narrative I remember was "see, black people can be against affirmative action (even if they were helped by it)!" Of course that was until Anita Hill came along and then all bets about his background were off. Then it was all 'high tech lynchings' and such.

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

As do I. There was much talk about him 'pulling himself up by his bootstraps' leaving the segregated south (some small town in SE GA near Savannah--can't remember the name) to go to school in the North, etc. And if I remember correctly he was totally or partially raise by a single parent with the help of his grandfather who was uneducated. The somewhat unspoken narrative I remember was "see, black people can be against affirmative action (even if they were helped by it)!" Of course that was until Anita Hill came along and then all bets about his background were off. Then it was all 'high tech lynchings' and such.

You're right. And the town was Pin Point, Ga.

This choice, as are all presidential SC choices, is by definition, political. In addition to the president's ideas about what a justice should bring to judicial decision making, the choice also plays to audiences particularly important to continuing Democratic consitutencies (Hispanics, women) and puts his political ememies, at least initially, in a quandry as to how to attack.

It's the same thing Bush41 did with then nominee C. Thomas -- remember how conflicted the NAACP was in whether they should oppose the nomination in filling what was then considered to be "Marshall's seat" on the court?


...and for the record, Eclipse, you have been gone waaaaaaaaay too long from around these parts. Any updates on what you have been doing (minus the unneccesary shots at Skyline Chili) would be greatly appreciated.