Sane Lindsey prevails

Whenever Lindsey Graham is about to appear on TV or make a public statement, my husband and I like to take bets on which Lindsey will appear. Will it be Sane, Moderate, Level-headed, Intelligent Lindsey? Or Insane, Red-Faced, Sputtering, Angry Lindsey? (The latter is much more likely to appear when called upon to defend John McCain when McCain does such clearly defensible things as picking Sarah Palin as VP nominee or suspending his campaign).

I was glad to see yesterday that it was Sane Lindsey who showed up to the opening statements in the Sotomayor hearings. Not only did he appear reasonably open-minded and willing to buck the partisan attacks on Sotomayor, I think his criticism of Obama's votes on Roberts and Alito were entirely warranted. No, I don't like the way they rule on cases. I think their rulings harm people who need the help of government. But Bush won, and Roberts and Alito clearly have the intellectual chops and work in good faith, even if I disagree with their premises and conclusions. I thought Obama's protest against them was unwarranted. And I would hope Republican senators would look at Sotomayor and realize that she, too, has the intellectual chops and works in good faith, even if they disagree with her premises and conclusions. And, of course, vote to approve.

Of course, I wish Graham had not dwelt on the "wise Latina" canard. But he does seem ready to realize that Sotomayor is not a Frothing Race Avenger, Ready to Empathize Only With Latinos and Blacks, Damning All Reason and the Law!

BTW, I totally got choked up while Sotomayor thanked her mother....