Sonia Sotomayor, nominated by President Obama this morning to be our nation's next Supreme Court Justice, is being hailed as an old-fashioned American success story. Born to Bronx, New York, Puerto Rican parents of modest means and educated at Princeton University and Yale Law School, in 1992 she became a federal district judge and in 1998 a federal appeals judge. Obama chose her in part because of his stated preference for life experiences that bring "empathy" to the bench. He thus far has sidestepped the issue of whether he favors mandatory racial and ethnic hiring quotas. But given Sotomayor's position in a class-action appeals case originating in Connecticut, he may not have that luxury much longer.
Though uncomfortably close, it was a victory for liberty. By a 5-4 margin, 
This picture of Al Sharpton talking to Attorney General Eric Holder was taken yesterday at the White House where Barack Obama announced his nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. The White House has been giving Sharpton a surprisingly high profile lately. Al has practically moved in.
