“I think that kind of language is not helpful under any circumstances. Neither one of these men are elected Republican officials. I know…I know the debate that’s roiling out there about that, but I just don’t think it’s appropriate. I certainly don’t endorse it. I think…I think it’s wrong.”

“Imagine a judicial nominee said ‘my experience as a white man makes me better than a latina woman’ new racism is no better than old racism”

“White man racist nominee would be forced to withdraw. Latina woman racist should also withdraw.”

“Here you have a racist – you might…you might want to soften that and you might want to say you have a reverse racist. And the libs of course say the minorities cannot be racists, because they don’t have the power to implement their racism. Well those days are gone because reverse racists certainly do have the power to implement their power. Obama is the greatest living example of a reverse racist, and now he’s appointed one.”

“I’m sure she would have restated it. But if you look in the entire sweep of the essay that she wrote, what’s clear is that she was simply saying that her life experiences will give her information about the struggles and hardships that people are going through. That will make her a good judge." -- Barack Obama

"Eleven years ago, during my confirmation process for appointment to the Second Circuit, I was given a private tour of the White House. It was an overwhelming experience for a kid from the South Bronx. Yet, never in my wildest childhood imaginings did I ever envision that moment, let alone did I ever dream that I would live this moment." -- Sonia Sotomayor