The DNC sends out a letter from Joe Biden to their own list as well as Obama’s Organizing for America. The full letter follows after the jump, and it’s pretty standard stuff — Sotomayor’s been the subject of unfair attacks, we need your help, blah blah blah. It is interesting though that the letter twice praises Sotomayor for her “brilliance,” which is apparently “widely recognized.” I don’t think anyone doubts that Sotomayor is “qualified” to be a Supreme Court justice, but she was not the most qualified of the candidates on Obama’s list, and by Sotomayor’s own account — she’s no genius. She said herself she couldn’t get the test scores necessary to gain admission to Princeton and Yale without the help of affirmative action programs at both schools. Look at the message the administration is trying to communicate with this letter and it’s clear they view lingering questions about Sotomayor’s intellectual firepower are the most serious threat to her confirmation (and to the political windfall they want from it). Thus the need to assure supporters of the judge’s brilliance — twice. Full letter after the jump…
Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings begin Monday, and that means we’re one step closer to getting her on the Supreme Court. Since President Obama nominated her back in May, Judge Sotomayor’s brilliance and unique legal qualifications have stood strong against fierce scrutiny. Law enforcement officials have praised her tough-mindedness and experience as a prosecutor and trial judge, and just this week she earned the highest possible rating from the American Bar Association. There’s no doubt — the President picked the right person for the job. Next week, the Senate hearings will once again focus the press on this historic nomination, and those who are desperate to play politics with the President’s nominee will see this as their last, best chance. Your support for Judge Sotomayor at this critical step will make a big difference. Visit Organizing for America’s online action center where you can write a letter to a local paper, call your senators, and share the facts with friends and neighbors. Judge Sotomayor has earned praise from across the political spectrum. Her vast legal experience and commitment to the rule of law, widely recognized brilliance, and common sense understanding of how the law affects our daily lives makes her an outstanding choice for the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, some people would rather try anything to score political points than debate honestly about the facts. Some people are even trying to say Judge Sotomayor’s proud record as a civil rights advocate in the Latino community is evidence of “extremism.” Well, there was a time when standing up for the disadvantaged and fighting for equal rights was called extreme — but now we just call it doing what’s right. Now is the critical moment for us to stand up and fight back against these attacks. Together, we’ll make our case to the public, the media, and decision makers in the Senate that the Supreme Court needs a strong defender of justice like Sonia Sotomayor. Visit our online action center now, and show your support for this great nominee. The action center has all the tools you need to write a letter to the editor, tell your senators why Judge Sotomayor should be our next Supreme Court Justice, and spread the word to everyone you know: http://my.barackobama.com/CourtActionCenter I’ve been through many confirmation hearings, and believe me, what you say and do right now matters a lot. So please join me in becoming a part of this historic moment for the Court and our country. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor? I can’t wait. Thank you, Vice President Joe Biden
