Howard Dean Says Sotomayor's Comment Taken Out of Context-Then Admits He Doesn't Know the Context

CNSNews ^ | June 2, 2009 | Penny Starr

[ClassicLiberal]

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told CNSNews.com yesterday that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's comment that "a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life" has been taken out of context by critics.

Then he immediately conceded that he himself had not actually read the full context of the speech in which Sotomayor made the comment.

The comment, in fact, was made on Oct. 26, 2001 when Judge Sotomayor gave the Judge Mario G. Olmos Memorial Lecture at the law school at the University of California at Berkeley. The lecture was delivered during a symposium sponsored by the La Raza Law Journal, the Berkeley La Raza Law Students Association, the Boalt Hall Center for Social Justice and the Center for Latino Policy Research. The symposium was entitled, "Raising the Bar: Latino and Latina Presence in the Judiciary and the Struggle for Representation." The context in which Sotomayor made the comments was as follows:

“Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, a possibility I abhor less or discount less than my colleague Judge Cedarbaum, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging," said Sotomayor.

"Justice O'Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases. I am not so sure Justice O'Connor is the author of that line since Professor Resnik attributes that line to Supreme Court Justice Coyle," said Sotomayor. "I am also not so sure that I agree with the statement. First, as Professor Martha Minnow has noted, there can never be a universal definition of wise.

[ClassicLiberal]

Byaaaaaaaaah!!!

[icwhatudo]

LOL

[icwhatudo]

I heard somewhere this AM (morning Joe?) that the judge has another quote about:

"even though I'm a liberal, extreme violence makes me tough on crime"

or along those lines.

Anyone got the actual quote with a link or hear something like that? Thanks!

[ozzymandus]

Howard Dean is sofa king stupid. Wonder why Obama hasn’t replaced him with Bill Ayers.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Classic nonsense, isn’t it? Howard Dean says critics took her words out of context, but then has to admit he didn’t know the context. Amazing.............

[Lorianne]

Actually, Sotomayer’s comment is even worse IN context than is is out of context.

She’s trying to make a point about diversity-is-good, but in a very clumsy way.

Diversity is either good in and of itself, regardless of the backgrounds involved, or it is not.

No need to say one would make BETTER decisions because of one’s race, sex or background. That actually negates the diversity-is-good argument!

The argument for diversity-is-good is premised on the plurality of viewpoints benefiting the whole ... not whether one’s viewpoints are better than others.

At the very least, she’s inarticulate and did’t make a logical point ... a serious deficiency in a SC Judge. If it were just this one quote, I would give her a pass. She may have been speaking extemporaneously. But she has made many such illogical arguments.

Racism is one thing, but lack of logic is quite another.

[lilylangtree]

Howie Dean never improves with time.

[TheWasteLand]

The context is she’s a racist and Dean is a moron.

[Noumenon]

Dean belongs in a padded cell.

[MES401067]

Dolt!!!!

[Servant of the Cross]

Aaaaaaaagggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Late-night comedy shows provide campaign news to growing numbers of people, according to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. One-fifth of young adults said they regularly learn about the campaign from such programs.

When David Letterman rolled the video Tuesday, Dean's head appeared to explode at the end of the speech. "Did you see Howard Dean ranting and raving?" he asked the audience. "Here's a little tip, Howard: cut back on the Red Bull."

On his program, Jay Leno quipped: "I'm not an expert in politics, but I think it's a bad sign when your speech ends with your aides shooting you with a tranquilizer gun."

Jon Stewart introduced the clip on his show by saying, "That whole 'Dean anger thing,' it's a bum rap. The guy has his emotions under control."

[TigersEye]

Howard Dean is truly a circus freak.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Then he immediately conceded that he himself had not actually read the full context of the speech in which Sotomayor made the comment.

Idiot buffoons from the left everywhere!.....

[LearnsFromMistakes]

Howard admitting that this statement NEEDS context is a huge step forward. This should present a problem for the dems...sadly, it wont. I don’t know the context either, but the statement is racist.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

[Wil H]

Howard Dean is sofa king stupid. Wonder why Obama hasn’t replaced him with Bill Ayers.

Because Bill Ayers is far more effective for 0bama in his role of radicalizing and indoctrinating children where he is..

[dead]

Well, that article was the first time I've seen her comment in context, and now I know why. It is far more damning in context than out.

The poohbahs in the media are likely outraged at Howie for pointing out the game they've been playing.

She's saying it was an "unfortunate choice of words" (what words in particular? she doesn't say...), but when you read it in context, its clear that she meant exactly what the quote says - that Latina women are wiser than white men. Race and gender determine worth.

[Cheetahcat]

Simple Rat opens mouth a Lie pops out! It is a wonder the left side does not just use toilet paper for tissue with those filth spewing mouths.

[Loud Mime]

I remember Dean saying that the difference between a conservative and a liberal is the fact that a liberal does not believe a child should go to bed at night while hungry.

What a lying freak.

[TigersEye]

What's the difference between Dr. Dean and Dr. Tiller?
Dr. Tiller knew where babies come from.