WASHINGTON — Since the introduction last week of Sonia Sotomayor, Republican senators wary of attacking the first Latino Supreme Court nominee have lashed out at conservatives in their party who branded the would-be justice a racist and have even predicted a smooth confirmation.
But several of those same GOP senators said Sunday that they would now make race a focus of the Sotomayor nomination fight -- and they were far less eager to criticize conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich for their racially tinged critiques.
Fanning out across network television talk shows, the senators in essence pledged to ask a fundamental question: Can a woman who says her views are shaped by her Puerto Rican heritage and humble beginnings make fair decisions when it comes to all races and social classes?
"We need to know, for example, whether she's going to be a justice for all of us or just a justice for a few of us," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Judiciary Committee, speaking on ABC's "This Week With George Stephanopoulos."
Days earlier, Cornyn said in a radio interview that it was "terrible" for conservatives to be attacking Sotomayor as a racist. He did not reiterate those sentiments Sunday and pledged that he and other Republican lawmakers would investigate Sotomayor's past comments and rulings to judge her fairness.
Cornyn's comments were echoed in appearances by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.); Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee; and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), another member of the panel that will conduct hearings.
McConnell refused to repudiate Limbaugh, Gingrich and other conservatives who have called Sotomayor a racist, telling CNN that they were "entitled to their opinions." He said he had "better things to do than be the speech police over people who are going to have their views about a very important appointment."
Sessions, asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" whether he agreed that Sotomayor was a racist, said he would "not use those words," but he added: "I think that she is a person who believes that her background can influence her decision. That's what troubles me."
Kyl did not respond directly when asked whether he thought Sotomayor was a racist. "I'm not going to get drawn into characterizations before I have even met her," he told CBS' "Face the Nation."
