I know she won’t, but I would love to hear Sotomayor answer his first question about her remarks something like this:

“Unlike some people, when I make remarks that are seen as controversial or which may have been understood, I explain them, rather than claim I had merely been joking when I said them.”

On the other hand, Sessions fulfills the demand for blood that was coming from some Republicans who are still angry about the hearings for Bork, Thomas, Roberts and Alito. Hatch’s making essentially the same points, but doing so in a courteous and thoughtful way, wouldn’t have been enough to make the base happy. They wanna make Sotomayor’s mama cry (though I think they’ll find she’s got a thick enough skin to handle it — raising two children in the projects on one’s own will do that).

“Also during his illustrious career in Alabama, Sessions called the NAACP “un-American” because it, among other groups, “forced civil rights down the throats of people.” A former career Justice Department official who worked with Sessions recalled an instance when he referred to a white attorney as a “disgrace to his race” for litigating voting rights cases on behalf of African Americans. Sessions later acknowledged having made many of the controversial remarks attributed to him, but claimed to have been joking.”

The article he links to, while dating from 2002 gives a far more complete history.

Hatch’s ideas were frequently hideous, but his charm, class, and collegiality made him acceptable.