The "way of cross" of questions ended for the candidate to the Supreme Court of United States, Sonia Sotomayor. Clever, intelligent, astute and avoiding revealing personal views on controversial issues such as abortion or the death penalty, and sometimes findingrefuge in the law, the judge chosen by President Barack Obama to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of David Souter left yesterday to defend the attacks from Republicans and will sit today to hear the witnesses called by both political parties.
Now Sonia Sotomayor is edging closer to confirmation. If confirmed she will be the first Latino to occupy a place in the highest U.S. court. According to VOA both Democratic and minority Republican senators praised her legal record during her final day of confirmation hearings.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Thursday Sotomayor has shown that she would keep an open mind and not be an "activist" on the high court even though he said some of her past statements bothered him.
The Supreme Court nominee again expressed regret for her past comments suggesting that a "wise Latina" might reach better decisions than a white man. She said she did not intend to offend anyone.
Sotomayor also told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday that she does not allow personal sympathies, experiences and ideology to influence her judgment.
The full Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, is expected to vote on Sotomayor's confirmation in August, well before the next Supreme Court session begins in October.
In the days of questioning, Sotomayor has managed to avoid getting her views pinned down on controversial issues such as abortion and gun rights.
If confirmed, 55-year-old Sotomayor would become the third woman to sit on the nine-member high court. She would replace recently retired Justice David Souter.
Sonia Sotomayor is the daughter of Puerto Rican parents and grew up in New York City public housing. She graduated at the top of her class at two prestigious American universities, Princeton and Yale. She served as federal judge for 17 years.
Materials from VOA are used in this report.
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