An Interesting But Inconclusive Sotomayor Clue

The NY Times wonders whether Sotomayor is reliably pro-choice and points to to an evaluation at Belief.Net which incudes this:

And for those trying to divine her abortion views, there's one more tea leaf to read: she was on the board of a group formerly called the Maternity Center Association, now called Childbirth Connect. They list "20 Rights of Childbearing Women." None of them relate to the "right to choose." In fact, I find no mention of abortion on their website.

Interesting.  Here are the current board members of Childbirth Conect.  Let's review their political  donation history.

Phyllis Farley, Chairperson donated to Hillary, John Kerry, and Emily's List.

Patricia Ann, President, gave $2000 to pro-life Rick Santorum.

Kira Wilson Gould, Secretary, gave $1000 to New Leadership for America, a Tom Daschle effort, in 2002.

Donna Lynne, DrPH, Treasurer, has given to Obama, Salazar, Hillary, and Kerry, so one might think she is a conventional Democrat. She also gave $250 to Republican Rick O'Donnell in 2006; O'Donnell was pro-life but that seems to be incidental to his views on immigration, tax, and spending reform.

Deanne Williams, Assistant Treasurer, gave $200 to the DNC.

Maureen Corry, Assistant Secretary, gave $200 to Hillary in 2007.

That does not lok like a hotbed of NARAL diehards.  I would guess that since Childbirth Connect ducks the aborton issue at their website and includes a range of viewpoints among their officers that they are consciously trying to avoid the aorton wars.

So why might that apeal to Sotomayor?  She might be an ardent pro-choicer intent on preserving some notion of judicial propriety; she might be a squishy pro-choicer who has preferred to sidestep the issue; or she might be a closeted pro-lifer passing on the left side of the aisle.  Inconclusive.

Let's cut back to the Times, which poses a puzzle in political strategizing:

Now some liberal leaders are quietly expressing unease that Judge Sotomayor may not be a reliable vote to uphold Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 abortion rights decision. In a letter to supporters, Nancy Keenan, president of the National Abortion Rights Action League, urged them to pressure senators to demand that Judge Sotomayor reveal her views on privacy rights before any confirmation vote.

Hmm.  And if the pro-abortion leaders don't like her answers, what are they going to do - oppose Obama's historic Latina pick?  Starting a fight they are bound to lose and dividing their party as Hillary's former supporters boo the Hispanics - yeah, that sounds dumb enough to be a plausible scenario for the Democrats.

This imagined ignorance of Sotomayor's views is all posturing and puffery, of course:

But in his briefing to reporters on Tuesday, the White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, was asked whether Mr. Obama asked Judge Sotomayor about abortion or privacy rights. He replied that Mr. Obama “did not ask that specifically.”

Yeah, right.  It never dawned on Obama that he would have an Epic Fail if the pro-choicers freaked out and opposed Sotomayor, so he never thought to ask.  Heaven help us all if he is really that inept.

Comments

[Jane]

Ann,

What can only hope that the CIA would dismantle Ibama before Ibama would dismantle the CIA.

[Amused Bystander]

Ricck B: You forgot Cap and Trade. I think that is the big one that is being obscured here. It made it out of committee. Great Depression 2 here we come.

(one hopes that this one will finally turns the tide, but, given the state of the electorate, they might get away with it.)

Cap and trade pretty much means full EU-style socialism. They will control every industry, and only members of the new Nomenklature will be able to play.

Looks like it is going to happen.

[Jane]

It's far too much to hope for "lesser-known sleazeball medical malpractice bottom-feeder," or "scumbag plaintiffs class action racketeer."

Tsk Tsk, what a lawyer/snob - she said from her rather obscure law firm.

I tried a med mal case or two back in the day - never saw so much sleaze in my life - on the defense side of things. Not the doctor, but the expert, nearly 100% of the time.

[bad]

Amused!!! I have missed you so much!!

[DrJ]

"Govmo" also reminds one of "Bevmo," a purveyor of all beverages alcoholic. Govmo may indeed prompt libations from the latter.

[Ranger]

I keep wondering that rationale supports an oil price above $35 at the moment. It ain't supply and demand.

Posted by: Rick Ballard | May 28, 2009 at 01:37 PM

Instability in Pak, continued development of Iranian nukes, and are my bets. People are pricing in the risk that the Presian Gulf tap may gets closed very suddenly.

[bad]

How fortuitous for Ibama to be king of the world when journalism is a dead profession and experiencing massive cutbacks.

[Pagar]

"Is Obama Trying to Kill the CIA?"

My guess is Yes. Given what we know about Obama.

[Ann]

About twenty years ago I was seated next to Helen Thomas in a two-seat row in the front cabin of a cross-country flight. As the vodkas-on-the-rocks flowed I baited her with every sort of right-wing blashphemy I could think of, nearly reducing the even-then-old hag to tears.

That vision alone will keep my spirits up for the rest of the week.

Thanks DoT. I second the book idea!

[bad]

DoT, admit it. She was hot for you wasn't she?

[PDinDetroit]

Ever notice that the press recognizes only two categories of rifles (besides "assault weapons"), those being .22-caliber and "high-powered?"

I'll bet that they don't realize that the US Military utilizes .22 Caliber Firearms, most of which are Assault Rifles.

On that topic, here's a nice little beauty for around the ranch... LUN

[RichatUF]

Rick-

And any others, any word regarding the odd, breathless announcement just before the markets opened regarding a GM bondholders deal. Seems to have taken about 45 minutes to filter through and doesn't change the fact they are going to bankruptcy. I was also trying to figure out whether it came directly from the White House or if it was something leaked from Auto Czar Rattner. Also was the 7 year auction as good as the press is making it out to be, or is it that since it wasn't a disaster it is good news and "green shoots".

AB-

Welcome back, haven't noticed you posting for a while. In re: cap-and-trade, I'm not sure I understand the argument that cap-and-trade specifically would have goosed the oil market for the last couple of weeks (its up almost 70% from its low, so much for Obama's "Making Work Pay" tax credit). The only people that I think would make money with cap-and-trade will be the Friends of Fascism brokerages that already have experience losing money on the European Climate Exchange.

I would think the most effective trade would be to sell oil because demand will drop and enviromentalism will make it difficult to bring on new supplies in the US and buy nat gas because it is the only surplus fuel that can close the gap between green mandates and consumer demand (not a trading recommendation). It also looks, just the brief write up I saw, that it will make the US more dependent on imported oil and gasoline.

[bad]

Amused, you were incredibly prophetic about what was going to happen were Ibama to be elected.

[Old Lurker]

It is indeed difficult to see a supply/demand support for oil prices as several mention above, given the unchanged global demand side of the equation so far (greenshoots...NOT). When you factor in the games played with the storage of oil, noting the huge quantity stored in supertankers at anchor when they expect short term price gains will offset the cost of that sort of storage, one sees how much pressure there is to game the system even more than usual. And yes, whenever a whackjob rattles a sabre along a supply route, the futures market seems to price that in quickly.

As mentioned before, I have an interest in natural gas so I pay close attention to those prices. To a degree a BTU is a BTU, and many large consumers can switch from oil to gas by turning a valve. While not a perfect yardstick, and putting aside an actual action by Iran to block the tankers, when the price of oil goes up a lot faster than the price of natural gas, I usually think we are being played. Lately oil has gone up about 85% from $35 to $65, and gas about 5% from $3.75 to $3.95.

[Captain Hate]

Mickey Kaus has the link to Charlie Rose where Elizabeth Edwards says she might marry someone else if given a do-over.

Why? They're both from the bottom of the barrel for their respective sexes; it just saves a decent person from being encumbered with having to deal with either of them.

btw, I love how really snotty people like to watch a dimwitted gossip-maven like Charlie Rose.

[bad]

Ok, I'll never watch again....

[fdcol63]

bad, I'm sure Captain Hate meant it in the nicest way. LOL

[bad]

It's ok, fd, I'm only crying a little...

[Captain Hate]

Not aimed at bad who ran across it @ Kaus. That's permitted.

[bad]

WHEW! I didn't want to be a snotty people...for that reason.

[MayBee]

Via Politico:

A source told The Washington Post earlier this month that Sotomayor once said that filling out her financial reports was a breeze. “When you don’t have money, it’s easy. There isn't anything there to report,” she was quoted as saying.

Sotomayor is divorced and has no children.

She now earns $184,500 a year as a federal appeals court judge. As an associate justice on the Supreme Court, she would make $213,900. Both salaries went up 2.8 percent this year.

In 2007, Sotomayor supplemented her federal judicial salary with nearly $25,000 from teaching at the Columbia and New York University law schools.
=========

Sotomayor, another one in the Obama administration who falls into Obama's greedy rich category without actually thinking of herself as "rich".

[glasater]

Tapper tweeted this about an hour ago:

"denying accuracy of story on Taguba comments on detainee fotos, Gibbs just assailed British media accuracy. there goes the Fleet Street vote"

Does anyone understand this one?

[bad]

A yearly salary of $184,500 + $25,000 = no money.

$250,000 = rich

Math is hard, Maybee.

[fdcol63]

Fleet Street is where the British media are clustered, like Wall Street for financial activity here in the US.

Why he thinks they voted for Obama is a mystery ... unless you accept that, like here in the US, journalists are predominately liberal and WOULD HAVE voted for Obama if they could have ... or will continue to support him in their news stories, as they all do.

[fdcol63]

Or are you referencing the dispute over General Taguba's comments on the Abu Ghraib issue?

[Jane]

I love how really snotty people like to watch a dimwitted gossip-maven like Charlie Rose.

My mother loves Charlie Rose. She also loves the President. Trust me there is a third strike somewhere out there.

[narciso]

Well we know that except for the two Geralds
,Baker and Warner, (which sounds like an episode of NCIS) and Tim Blair, they were not particularly disposed toward McCain, and they were 'at daggers' against his wingman.

Taguba, just rubs me the wrong way, he seems to have gotten his 15 minutes thanks to Hersh and he won't get off the stage. Look Obama's going to Cairo, and I've Al Aswani and even Ahdaf Soueif, and anything that happens at Central Security, stays at
Central Security. Which is the lesson the Islamists and even progressives will take from this genuflection trip

[glasater]

It must be General Taguba's comments on Abu Ghraib and perhaps losing the "goodwill" of the British press.

[Pofarmer]

that the US Military utilizes .22 Caliber Firearms, most of which are Assault Rifles.

Technically, I think it's a .224 d;0)

Man, I love to shoot that round though. I need to get the 22-250 out here one of these days. There just isn't much more fun than 90 grains going 300 yards or so at 4000fps.

[RichatUF]

glasater-

See LUN in re: the photos that Obama said he would, then wouldn't, release. My guess is that the photos have already been obtained (Obama has enough of Soros' cronies in the Pentagon to have gotten access to them at this point) or reasonable facsimiles have been produced based on what has been released from the Taguba report (and what Obama appointees have seen and described to outside parties) and will be released soon to European media outlets. Should make for an ugly couple of months, but give Obama the cover he needs to bail on Iraq and Afghanistan. The Iranians got nearly a month of riots and all sorts of international condemnation of Denmark during the "cartoons contoversy". They'll be able to get a solid 6 months out of the abuse photos non-release release once they drop in Europe.

[Ignatz]

--It is indeed difficult to see a supply/demand support for oil prices as several mention above--

OL,

I still think too little credit, or blame, as the case may warrant is being given to US gov moves.

It was no coincidence in '08 when oil crashed just as the "drill, drill, drill" movement reached critical mass.

Nor do I believe it is a coincidence that oil bounced off the bottom at almost precisely the time Barry, after he took office, confirmed that "drill, drill, drill" was officially dead.

[PDinDetroit]

Po - I got 2 of those Ruger Mini-14's within the past 2 months (2 different models, 580 serial numbers). I also was able to find some Federal 1000 Round Bulk Ammo in .223 REM and 5.56 NATO, as the mini-14 is built to handle them both. They are a lot of fun to shoot at the range with my teenage daughter.

Guess we have no shortage here in Detroit, want us armed for when/if the big show goes on...

Judge, Jury, and Executioner in a neat, tidy package...

[Porchlight]

I assume Tapper was being facetious about the prospect of Obama losing the vote of Fleet Street journos who can't vote in the first place. But it's not so funny when you notice that the British press has been the source of a number of unflattering stories on Obama so far, and it may have access to even more damaging information in the future. Hillary has to have someone to leak to, after all.

[Old Lurker]

Very good point Ignatz.

Games indeed.

[PaulL]

Oil prices: Whenever Pres. Bush and/or Israel talked tough on Iran, oil prices went up and Iran benefited.

You either do what needs to be done with Iran, or not, but making a talk show about it benefits them.

[narciso]

That was just speculators, playing their game, that was also around the time that
"Peak Oil" was resurrected as a gimmick, with stories in Harpers and even G.Q Magazine.

[Rick Ballard]

Judge Sowhatever's "poor me" story reminds of someone else - I can't quite put my finger on it. The rise of a crooked ward heeler's daughter?

Wanna see the NYT play 'hide the ball'? Try and relate the lede with section entitled Seeking Simple Rules. What do potential losses on Treasury bonds (btw - the $581 billion number is horrendously bad, banks simply aren't holding that many long bonds) have to do with Turbo's Great $50 Dead Cat Swap? Why is the NYT burying the fact that ZombieBanks are going to profit from Swapping $50 Dead Cats as they artificially juice their balance sheets?

I believe it might have something to do with Citi gleaning the lion's share of the pickings - from the taxpayers pockets, of course.

[Frau Jedöns]

I wonder if Govmo will use designs of the old East German Trabant ("Trabi"). After being ordered, it often took years for delivery. Now that's a way to wean us from our cars!
At the link, Helen Thomas is shown working on the assembly line:
http://www.kunsthal.nl/en-22-603-A_Tribute_to_the_Trabant.html

[PD]

At the link, Helen Thomas is shown

No way I'm looking.

[fdcol63]

Helen ... in her much younger years.

[Old Lurker]

"At the link, Helen Thomas is shown

No way I'm looking."

PD, that's sorta like having the opposite of child porn on your hard disk.

[narciso]

"these goggles they do nothin"

[glasater]

Rich~@ 3:48

Thanks--I think!

What a sickeningly sad article.

New acronym: WASS

We.Are.So.Screwed.

[Danube of Thought]

PDinDetroit, if the US armed forces issue a Mini-14 in .22 caliber that's news to me, although it may well be true.

The round fired by the M-16 assault rifle, the Stoner light machine gun and the Mini-14's I've seen is called a .223 (or 5.56 mm), and it's a center-fire round. The bullet weight is an extremely low (for a military rifle) 55 grains, with a muzzle energy of 1280 foot-pounds. Compare that with, say, the lightest-weight .30-'06 (150 grains) and 2820 foot-pounds. The NATO version of the .30-'06 caliber is the 7.62 mm, and is the round now fired by the old M-1, the M-14 and the M-60 machine gun. I don't know how many M-1's are still around, but at one point they were rechambered for the 7.62 round, which is ballistically indistinguishable from the .30-'06.

When people speak of a .22 caliber rifle, they are generally understood to be talking about one that fires the .22 short, .22 long, or .22 "long rifle" cartridge--or all three. They are relative popguns compared even to the .223.

There was quite some dispute about whether a .223 caliber is suitable for a combat rifle, but the dispute was settled long ago in the McNamara era when the M-16 was selected to replace the M-1 and the M-14. A lot of the old guard had real problems with that, but I never really had a problem with the M-16.

[MayBee]

bad- greedy rich for single people starts at $200,000. Sonia is greedy rich.

[bad]

Thanks Maybee. I keep forgetting her unmarried, childless status....

Oh baby, she's rolling in dough on the Ibama/Turbo scale of greed.

[Amused Bystander]

Hi bad, thanks for missing me.

Yes, well i was rather taken to task for it too hereabouts...guess what they say is true: No man is a prophet in his own country.

Not to make too much of it, but I have lived in several corrupt socialist/communist and/or authoritarian/kleptocrat countries, some where to undertake any action at all that affirms human freedom, liberty and dignity are quite dangerous places to be indeed.

I know Obama and his whole sick crew inside and out, and backwards and forwards. They are the same the world over. The enemies of the our civilization are of a piece and have the same odor everywhere one goes. In fact, I doubt that there has ever been a time where these villains have ever been more uniform in aspect than they are today. Certainly, there have never before been so many of them in positions of power across the world. Such evil times.

Often I have had to move among them--still do.
They hold few surprises if one knows what to look for.

I must say though, that I never thought America would be laid so low, that we would so easily succumb to such decadence, debasement and degeneration. It is truly the lowest point in our history.

My feeling is that we are in for much, much worse.

Obama may signal the end of American dominance, not to mention our way of life.
Our civilization, our future and those of our children hang in the balance.

As I have said here many times, it comes down to the character of the American people. Are we the same people we have been throughout our history? Time will tell.

It seems to all depend on 2010, and it is pretty obvious that we have to take matters into our own hands as far as the election goes as the GOP seems to rather like being in the minority. Their leadership too have exposed themselves for what they truly are.

But more on this later...

(BTW, are we missing GWB yet?)

[Pagar]

Excellent post, AB! I feel the same way, I never thought our country would slid so far down so fast. Events seem to be moving at such a rapid rate over the last six months. Seems like Obama has been using the examples of some of the leftist countries in Latin American and trying to beat them.

Yes, GWB is missed. He wasn't perfect but was a 1000% better than what we have today.

[JM Hanes]

PD:

"No, sorry. They don't get to pick both sides' terminology."

They didn't, and the other side doesn't get to do it either. The pro-life side chose pro-life, and the pro-choice side chose pro-choice -- for very similar reasons.

narciso:

"Pro-choice is an expansive term that seems to lead to euthanasia,"

No, it doesn't. Socialism leads to euthanasia.

[clarice]

I don't care what her views are on abortion. The public's views have changed and I don't see the pro-abortion side gaining much more.

I do care about her views on jurisprudence, the role of the court, federalism, Kelo,AA--and on those things I expect she is in a minority.

And everytime the idiot newsies opinion that the Reps dare not oppose an Hipsanic..remind them of Estrada and Gonzales, remind them of the obvious Dem tactic of opposing women and minorities who do not toe the line and then indicating there are so few Rep women and minorities in responsible offices..

[JM Hanes]

Ditto that Clarice. Actually, I've already developed a pretty serious case of Sotomayor ennui. Barring any biographical surprises, I don't think there's much to talk about till the reviews of her decisions start coming in, or the Ricci opinion is handed down. The only real entertainment to be had is thinking up questions for her confirmation hearings. I am trying to remember, though, if Senators customarily release a nominee's answers to the written questionnaires they devise?

[Porchlight]

It's great to see you, AB. I hope you stick around.

[Amused Bystander]

Thanks Porch.

[PD]

I don't care what her views are on abortion ... I do care about her views on jurisprudence

That's one reason Bork would have been good on the SC. Personally pro-choice, he would not have supported Roe v. Wade because he did not see any "right" to abortion in the Constitution. He would not elevate his own opinion over the Constitution.

[PD]

And everytime the idiot newsies opinion that the Reps dare not oppose an Hipsanic

Seems not limited to the newsies. There are a lot of Republicans who seem to want to roll over on this nomination. "Pick the right battles," they say, implying that this isn't one of them.

Well, if it's the case the Obama's making this pick as a shrewd move designed to silence the Right, and the Right concludes that its best tactic is to be silent, then what battle will be worth fighting? Our silence on this nomination only confirms Obama in his tactics, and we'll get more of the same from him in the future.

[Syl]

Well, gang. I'm not saying we should 'roll over' but I think many here are getting hysterical about opposing her.

Me? I think she's a bit scattershot in her opinions. I also think she doesn't have a strictly 'activist' bent.

Disagree with her on the things we find disagreeable but please don't go ape nor do it for the wrong reasons.

At this point MY most important question that needs to be asked is: Does she have a sense of humor? I'm serious.

Back to radar watching...

[Thomas Jackson]

Americans cannot hld dual citizenship where American citizenship is renounced.

Many nations especially in Europe do not recognize renuciation of citizenship. So there is a vast difference.

As far as Sotomayor goes I couldn't give a fig what her stance is on Roe if she belongs to La Raza.

Anymore than I would recommend anyone for was a member of the KKK>