Graham, Reasoned

After signaling to the media and to the nominee herself that he would find it difficult to vote in favor of judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation to the Supreme Court, Senator Lindsey Graham may have changed his tune. After two days of hearings and candid testimony by the nominee before the Senate Judiciary Committee on which Graham sits, the South Carolina Republican has hinted at the possibility of supporting her.

"I honestly think I could vote for her," said Graham after acknowledging the increasing inevitablity of Sotomayor's confirmation.

In this remarks to the judge during yesterday's hearing, Graham reminded Sotomayor that she has "said some things that have bugged the hell out of me," but that by and large her judgment has "generally been in the mainstream. The Ricci case, you missed one of the biggest issues in the country or you took a pass. But I'm going to say that as Senator Feinstein said, you have come a long way."

"To be honest with you, your record as a judge has not been radical by any means."

And while most of his GOP colleagues are sharpening their misleading and useless attacks over Sotomayor's now infamous (for which I wholly blame the irresponsibility of the media for offering it without context and the President and Robert Gibbs for attempting to explain it. Just don't call me Glenn Beck) "wise Latina" comment and her superfluous but forced explanation/apology for it, Senator Graham has used the higher functions of his brain, namely reason, logic, reassessment in light of new information, as well as basic listening skills to come to the conclusion that enough has been said on the issue.

"I regret that I have offended some people," Sotomayor said. "I believe that my life demonstrates that was not my intent."

To which Graham said, "You know what judge, I agree with you."

"To those who may be bothered by [that explanation], what do you say?" he asked.

Senator Graham may not vote for Sotomayor after all, but he demonstrated his knack for bucking his party and voting with his head without ideological grandstanding. And he demonstrated this ability during a confirmation hearing for a Supreme Court nominee, Ground Zero for the ideological warfare many of his party's faithful wish to unleash. I respect that.

Hat tip Politico.


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