Obama Nominates Sotomayor

President Obama has announced Supreme Court pick: Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Judge Sotomayor, 54, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is the first Hispanic to be nominated to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor was raised in a housing project in the Bronx, graduated from Princeton University, and later became an editor of the Yale Law Journal. At the White House this morning, Obama called her "an inspiring woman who I believe will make a great justice." He underscored the five years as a prosecutor for the Manhattan DA's before entering private practice. He said that Sotomayor would be a good judge because of her "understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live." Obama touted her bipartisan appeal, emphasizing that she was nominated to district court by George H.W. Bush and promoted to the court of appeals by President Clinton. If confirmed, it is thought that Sotomayor will be a moderate judge on the court. Obama met Sotomayor for the first time last Thursday, and only informed her of his decision late last night. The president said that Sotomayor has the "knowledge and experience acquired over the course of a brilliant legal career but the wisdom accumulated from an inspiring life story." Sotomayor said that her background has allowed her to "understand and respond to the concerns of all litigants that appear before me." She continued, "I strive never to forget the real-world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses and government."