McConnell Opposes Sotomayor Nomination

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will formally announce his opposition to Judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation during a floor speech on Monday.

According to an early release, he will reportedly say:

"In her writings and in her speeches, Judge Sotomayor has repeatedly stated that a judge's personal experiences affect judicial outcomes. She has said her experiences will affect the facts that she chooses to see as a judge. She has argued that in deciding cases judges should bring their sympathies and prejudices to bear. She has dismissed the ideal of judicial impartiality as an 'aspiration' that, in her view, cannot be met even in most cases. Taken together, these statements suggest not just a sense that impartiality is not possible, but that it's not even worth the effort."

This may be a signal that things have changed for Republicans, who mostly backed the nominees of the last Democratic president. President Clinton's nominee, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was confirmed 96-3 in 1993, and Stephen Breyer was confirmed 87-9.

But President (then-Senator) Obama's votes against Bush nominees Sam Alito and John Roberts -- despite calling them "qualified" -- may have changed the game, with senators now believing they can oppose a president's nominee based on partisan reasons -- even if he or she is qualified.

It was expected that some Republicans would oppose Sotomayor, but one can assume that the minority leader's public opposition is a signal to Republican senators that they are free to follow this path.