First thoughts: A fight that fizzled?

Posted: Monday, July 13, 2009 9:18 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** A fight that fizzled? When President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court back in May, who thought her nomination would largely take a backseat to the political fights over the stimulus, health care, and energy? But as her Senate confirmation hearing begins today, that’s precisely what has happened. Even the morning’s Republican National Committee research document is about Obama’s meeting today with organized labor, not Sotomayor. And here’s what today’s headline from the Washington Times was: “Sotomayor Faces Easy Route to Confirmation.” (By the way, DO note that the Washington Times has since changed the headline to the less tough "Debate continues ahead of Sotomayor hearing.") These things tell you all you need to know about how this political fight has fizzled. Of course, Republicans will ask her questions about her views on abortions and guns, the New Haven firefighter case, and that “wise Latina” comment. But as NBC’s Pete Williams said on TODAY, unless Sotomayor says something explosive during the hearings, it’s a virtual certainty that she’ll be confirmed.

Video: TODAY’s Matt Lauer talks to David Gregory, moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” about the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor

*** Hearing tick-tock: Today’s Sotomayor hearing begins at 10:00 am ET in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. The morning will consist of opening statements by the 12 Democrats and seven Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Then, at about 1:00 pm, Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (who’s trying to boost her name ID for 2010) will introduce Sotomayor. About 30 minutes later, Sotomayor will make her opening remarks. Per NBC’s Williams, the actual questioning takes place Tuesday morning. Each senator will be allowed 30 minutes in this first round of questioning (and if past experience is a guide, some will not consume their full time allotments). On Wednesday, Williams says, questioning will pick up where Tuesday left off. Once every senator has concluded a first-round question period of 30 minutes, the second round begins for those who wish to ask more. Second-round questioning is limited to 15 minutes per senator. On Thursday, outside witnesses will testify.

*** Introducing Sen. Franken: The sideshow highlight of the hearings this week: Al Franken's debut on the national stage as a Senate questioner. Of course, he once PLAYED a U.S. senator questioning a Supreme Court nominee on "SNL." He was the late Paul Simon questioning Clarence Thomas.

*** Latest cable catnip: Sotomayor’s confirmation might not be contentious, but the news -- via the Sunday New York Times -- that the CIA withheld information from Congress about a secret counterintelligence program on orders from former Vice President Cheney certainly is. Today’s Wall Street Journal says the program “was an attempt to carry out a 2001 presidential authorization to capture or kill al Qaeda operatives, according to former intelligence officials familiar with the matter.” The story is cable catnip because it involves spies and Cheney, two important ingredients to fire up the left and the right on the air and in the blogosphere. By the way, there are other lingering questions about the future of the CIA that this story could spark. Will the National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair use this moment to seize more control over the intel community (as a whole) and the CIA (in particular)? Speaking of Cheney, his daughter Liz pens a Wall Street Journal op-ed criticizing (who else?) Barack Obama.

*** When Obama isn’t the news: Given that the two big stories for TV today appear to be Sotomayor and CIA-Cheney, it means an entire week when the president is NOT front and center talking about the economy or health care. On the one hand, it's helpful for the president to handle things behind the scenes, and it certainly makes it harder for Republicans to find their own news hole to hit on the economy or health care. On the other hand, Obama needs more attention to be given to his attempts at re-defining the stimulus and making a push on health care. Granted, these two issues will likely bubble back up next week -- and beyond -- when the CIA-Cheney and Sotomayor stories wear themselves out on cable. But it's not the "hit the ground running” Monday the White House needs after an overseas trip that wasn't the same overwhelming success as the first three trips.

Video: The head of the Senate Intelligence Committee is suggesting that the Bush administration concealed a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports.

*** Holder’em: For further proof that the Bush years aren’t going away anytime soon, NBC’s Williams confirms the story, first reported by Newsweek, that Attorney General Eric Holder is considering the appointment of a special prosecutor to look at whether post-9/11 detainees were illegally tortured. But Williams adds that such an investigation would be very narrowly focused and would look only at cases in which CIA officers or contractors went far beyond what was authorized under the "enhanced interrogation" program. "Anyone who followed the legal guidance issued back then would not be investigated," said one official -- nor would those who may have strayed beyond the technical limits but acted in good faith. Instead, the investigation would be limited to a small number of what are described as "egregious" cases that appeared to have crossed far over the line.

Video: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., discusses Attorney General Eric Holder’s possible investigation into torture with NBC’s David Gregory on “Meet the Press.”

*** Pallin’ around with Palin: The Palin story isn’t going away, either. With an Anchorage dateline, the Washington Times interviewed the soon-to-be-departing Alaska governor, who revealed that she might stump for conservative Democrats. "I will go around the country on behalf of candidates who believe in the right things, regardless of their party label or affiliation," she told the paper. "People are so tired of the partisan stuff.” (Wow!) Today’s New York Times also has an Anchorage dateline. "Ms. Palin had returned to her home state from the presidential campaign as one of the hopeful prospects in her struggling party… Standing before the Legislature in January, she vowed to retake her office with 'optimism and collaboration and hard work to get the job done.' But interviews in Alaska and in Washington show that a seemingly relentless string of professional and personal troubles quickly put that goal out of reach." Meanwhile, on Meet the Press yesterday, John McCain unequivocally defended Palin, despite the multiple reports about disloyalty during the presidential campaign. McCain clearly decided he wanted no part of the Palin drama. One way to guarantee that: hug her publicly and don't push her away.

Video: Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis talks about Levi Johnston’s claims that Sarah Palin resigned from office to pursue other monetary opportunities such as a reality television show and a book.

*** Labor day: At 1:15 pm ET today, Obama meets with labor leaders. This meeting comes, according to NBC’s Athena Jones, as the Council of Economic Advisers releases a report entitled "Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow" that offers an overview of how the U.S. labor market is expected to grow and develop over the next few years. At 4:00 pm, Obama delivers remarks at an urban and metropolitan policy roundtable. Pegged to Obama’s meeting today, the Workforce Fairness Institute is up with a Web site blasting “union bosses.”

*** Jill Biden’s surgery: Finally today, Dr. Jill Biden is in Philadelphia undergoing outpatient orthopedic surgery to relieve shoulder pain. Vice President is accompanying her there.

Countdown to Palin Stepping Down: 13 days
Countdown to Election Day 2009: 113 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 477 days

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Comments

Now You Know (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:20 AM)

Obama is scared to death of the auto union. Time for Obama to stand up and be a man.

cindy, las vegas, nv (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:22 AM)

Nice opening "reading the tea leaves" para on Sottomayor.

Lots of things buzzing through my mind re the CIA flap:

- The Obama people may wish it would go away. The Bush people (& those who love them) may want it to go away. Military hawks may hope it will go away. But there's too much out there to make it go away. The Obama folk might be well advised to accept this fact and address it head on -in the hope they can work through it and move past it. Otherwise, it could fester for years if not months.

- What seems to be confusing the Obama people is the question of "how can you hang CIA people out to dry because they accepted legal advice from their Bush superiors that they thought was valid? It seems as if everybody is diving for the bushes (pardon the pun) on this one.

- Logical answer would be that there had to be a "first domino" - i.e. someone who set this whole phony operation in motion and directed underlings to concoct bogus legal opinions to support illegal actions. That lead-domino appears to have walked, talked and quacked like VP Cheney. If so, one might conclude that he initiated a criminal conspiracy designed to mislead Congress and the American people. If true, he should be prosecuted and serve jail time.

- I understand the threat that political retribution can mean to our tradition of peaceful transition from regime to regime, but sometimes the reason for regime change is because the old regime did things egregious enough to warrant a shift in power and, as such, must be held accountable.

That Cheney was VP of the US should make it more/not less imperative that he be held accountable for any illegal actions he may have been responsible for because (a) his position of power could and did have an enormous impact on a variety of fronts - both domestically and globally and (b) because in society, no person - however powerful - is above the law.

Sometimes lancing a boil hurts really really bad for an instance, but is a necessary first step for making the infection go away.

That's what I'm thinking.

Jeff Gollin, Holmdel, NJ (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:24 AM)

So answer me this, why is it Palin can just up and walk away from a job she was elected to do for the people of Alaska, and we can't get rid of Ensign here, or Sanford over there? Boggles the mind!!
cindy, las vegas, nv
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Good morning Cindy, The answer to your question is because the GOP is a dying breed. They "need" Ensign and Sanford regardless of their sordid affairs. It is a sad day in America when people such as Ensign that committed such a grievous crime as bribery to his mistress are still left to represent a State. Shows just how desperate they are.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:25 AM)

Anita-if you are so gung ho on going after those who violate the Geneva conventions, get ready to the trial of none other than-Barack Obama.

You do know that putting prisoners of war on trial is a violation of the Geneva conventions, don't you?

Read 'em and weep.

The fact of the matter is, those being held as 'enemy combatants' are getting more leniency than they deserve. Not because they are not signatories to the conventions, (they are not, therefore, they are not protected by them), but, in fact, it is a greater violation of the conventions to engage in acts of war while not in uniform. This is why you don't see American and/or German soldiers in the other side's uniforms in the "War movies" from World War II.

I might behoove those of you who speak so freely about the Geneva convention rules to actually read them sometime.

no joe, no bo, nj (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:25 AM)

The fact that Sotomayor views race as important in legal decisions (Ricci case) has me concerned. There is a reason that Justice wears a blindfold.

Cicero (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:25 AM)

In the Cable Catnip section - just when I thought Liz Cheney had completed her "...daddy's all right, he just needs a little sleep..." tour - we see she will need to start round two of the 'circuit'. Good grief.
--------
“Here's one for you crack reporters to run down, cbs is reporting Justice Ginsburg Says She Originally Thought Roe v. Wade Was Designed to Limit 'Populations That We Don’t Want to Have Too Many Of'.
Yikes!
Robin Hollins, PA
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This is true. Abortion is used as a method to terminate many different minority pregnancies in the US. Just another way for white people to stay in charge and keep the minorities in their place. Ginsburg is right, and I totally agree with her. Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Friday, July 10, 2009 5:14 PM)”

I didn’t post this,…in case anyone thought otherwise. I still think stealing someone’s moniker is the height of immaturity; but I don’t get mad about it. I have only to look at that last week of the election when someone swiped Full Moon’s moniker and you would literally read conflicting posts often stacked one on top of the other. Sorry, moonie, I still think it was wrong; but you have to admit – it was a little bit funny.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
and, not to live too deep in the past - but this one struck me as classic hypocrisy:

“…You’ve been called on this before, but you still keep repeating the lie. The unemployment rate under Reagan peaked at 10.8% in 1982 – and then declined dramatically throughout the remainder of his term. Get your facts straight and stop with the lies.” Bill, Fairfax, VA (Sent Friday, July 10, 2009 1:45 PM)

Is it fair to say that Reagan inherited a mess from Carter and the unemployment actually RAMPED UP on Reagan’s watch? I mean that’s how I read the history of it. So how is that different from where we are now? I’m curious how this gets twisted back around to Reagan GOOD, Obama BAD. Your team simply can’t have it both ways and then claim some credible foothold on the issues.

But go ahead, the world loves a good story – type away.
^^^^^^^^^^
“…And if it hadn't been for Bush funding stem cell research with federal money for the first time, we might not have artificial sperm cells today, an advance that is truly breathtaking and will undoubtedly bring Christopher Reeve back to life…” Richard, Washington State (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 2:12 PM)

I was wondering who would be the first to show their fear that the male species has almost been rendered ‘obsolete’ this week. You do not disappoint, Richard, you simply do NOT disappoint.
^^^^^^^^^^
Yes, they are correct - Their stimulus was a failure. President Obama's stimulus has paid out 7% -let's chat again when it is around 50% paid out. Or better yet, let's don't. The only Epic Fail I see here is the G"NO"P. They are nothing and yet they ARE consistent.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:26 AM)

This is how the Democrats play. Identity politics, and the politics of personal destruction. Hope they have fun, they only have until the next election.
Andy A., NJ (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 9:41 AM)
===================================================

Amazing how the right conveniently forgets the same type of attacks the Republicans carried out. Rmember when they vilified the 'poster boy' for CHIP? They lied, they misled and they attacked a 12 year old boy and his family. And there are many, many, many instances that can be cited by many who post on this board.

No one on either side has the right to claim the other side has a corner on hypocrisy.

Matthew, Houston, TX (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:27 AM)

I guess the Democrats didn't have enough of Cheney in Round I. Dick will have to tear them another new one in Round II.

Go Dick Go (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:31 AM)

What a bunch of losers in the White House.

You can hear Rahm Emanuel behind the scenes, "Lets see, health care is tanking, crap and trade is dead, the stimulus isn't creating any jobs, the Jackson funeral is done, Palin quit, and the Sanford thing is quieting down. We need a distraction, I know! Let's bring up Cheney."

Losers.

GOPer (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 9:35 AM)
__________

Right, so, if crimes *were* committed, they should get away with it, is that your contention?

The GOP just gets lamer and lamer (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:36 AM)

This is why I don't respond to you and those like you. I have no use for those who are void of common sense. There is clearly nothing "plainly stated" in my post. Take the high road and offer an apology. Nah, I'll play the liberal on this one. No apology will be accepted because your ideology, like so many others on this blog, is that liberals don't lie, they just forget to tell the truth.
Bad Chihuahua (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 9:45 AM)
___________

What a total lying loser you are. Last Friday, you were talking about how, unlike liberals, you castrate your own, and were condemning Sanford. Yet, for days after that story first broke, you were including him in your asinine "thank you" lists. You cannot even keep your own lies straight from day to day. It amazes me that your posts are immediately deleted as soon as the moderator sees your lying name at the bottom of them.

you have ZERO credibility (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:39 AM)

re: *** Introducing Sen. Franken: The sideshow highlight of the hearings this week: Al Franken's debut on the national stage as a Senate questioner. Of course, he once PLAYED a U.S. senator questioning a Supreme Court nominee on "SNL." He was the late Paul Simon questioning Clarence Thomas.

This freak is still PLAYING the role of a U.S. senator. As responsible, rational Minnesota citizens, we apologize to the Nation for our state's sending this anencephalic dwarf to the Senate.
Robert Olmsted, Rochester, MN (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 9:51 AM)

______________

The man has been in office a few days and you are already condemning him. You know, I guess according to the "you bash sarah because you fear her" rhetoric, what should we make of your comments? Afraid he is just that good are you? Or will you hypocritically only allow that logic in one direction and not both?

I love the smell of GOP hypocrisy in the morning. (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:42 AM)

Palin will be out of politics in a couple of weeks.

The Huffington Post will have to make up stories about some other conservative beauty or lose readership. Palin was a help to them because they only chew on the GOP. They are void of true and fair political reporting or they would have cut Obama up for breakfact, lunch and dinner since he was elected.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
Monkberry Moon (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 9:54 AM)
__________

You mean, in that same way that Fox News challenged Bush/Cheney on their war crimes? Oh wait, they didn't do that, did they? Does that make *them* "void of true and fair political reporting"?

You're not even *trying* to hide your bias, are you?

I love the smell of GOP hypocrisy in the morning! (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:46 AM)

Jaw Willie is pleading for you libs to ignore my rants, as he calls 'em. All my so called rants are short and to the point.

You have to copy his and take them out on the porch and read them with your lunch they are so damn long and uniformative. A singular waste of time. He's all Jaw. And that's his new moniker ... ALL JAW.

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 10:47 AM)

"We all have a 'choice' in life. Someone 'chose' to rub out an abortion doctor who's 'choice' was to rub out life in it's most innocent form. Sometimes what goes around comes around." Look it up. (June 1)
Bad Chihuahua (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 9:45 AM)

Bad you are plainly saying Dr Tiller got what he deserved by saying what goes around comes around. You neo-cons are really dump, you don't even understand what you are saying, man think before you speak I know that is hard for neo-cons but at least you don't look like and idiot. You need to learn the saying "better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all dought"

Mo (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 11:01 AM)

It's obvious the republican party is in a downward spiral. Who do they have left? Gov Palin was going to be there sacrificial lamb for 2012 and then once Pres Obama was term limited, Jindal was going to resurrect again. The problem is that every day the repubs either prove to be complete hypocrites, immoral buffoons, actually anti-American when it comes to establishing programs that actually HELP Americans, breaking the law and even the constitution, etc., etc. It used to be drip, drip, drip but lately it's been a gusher.

CMSgt P (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 11:02 AM)

Nice to see that Jill Biden gets to choose where she will have sugery and who her ortho surgeon will be. Good luck to the rest of you if you need such services in the next few years-take a number, we will call you in a number of months when a time slot in the OR opens up. And don't worry that he/she is not Board-Certified, quality doesn't matter in the Public Option Plan.
Obama, One and Done/Atlanta (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 9:56 AM)

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Anyone else notice the lack of critical thinking skills evidenced in this post?

Jill Biden, spouse of the VP of the USA, gets to choose her doctor and where her surgery will be performed. All this while utilizing the tax-payer funded, government run, healthcare plan provided to the administration, congress, and the senate. The very same plan that the public option will be modeled after.

doom and gloom is sooooooo 2004

Ted, Mid Michigan (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 11:16 AM)

The poll that lists the favorability of SP is only significant when you look at the those pesky little thing called details. The 46% is attained by averaging the GOP impression and the Dem and Independent opinions. So when you look at a 70% favorability (GOP) with the other groups, then that makes the numbers look good, but actually skews the numbers. I suppose those that support her are heartened, but when a poll has to skew the numbers to come up with that number, one has to wonder about the motive of the pollster. Just saying - details matters!

afisher (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 11:19 AM)

Hey FR, how about some attention to reports that detainees suffocated while being moved in unventilated shipping containers? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/dec/12/afghanistan The Bush administration has sullied the American reputation for at least a generation and many people died as a result. This isn't just politics, it's law, it's life, it's the very basis of our society we're talking about here.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 11:27 AM)

Let me just suggest that a stiff-necked debate over judge Sotomayor's qualifications, having negative racial overtones, is exactly the last thing the Republican Party needs, and probably was never really in the cards except in the minds of those of tabloid mentality who seem to be holding sway in the press.

I would say to the press that if you are worried about the internet replacing you as a news source the way to analyze it is to appreciate what it is that the internet does better and what it is that legitimate news media does better, and concentrate on what the legitimate news media does better. Like, bringing us the legitimate news.

The internet does not do a better job of bringing us the news. It is just that you have not. You chose to adbicate your territory to the internet. You will not out-blog it, and instead of attracting readers, drove them away. But, with dedicated professional reporters and a sacred trust, you are prepared to out news the inrternet, no question.

No need to tabloidize the Sotomayor hearings. Let me suggest you go back to what you do best, and if you have to downsize then do so as quickly and intelligently as possible. It is a new day.

Mike, Texoma (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 11:39 AM)

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