Romney, Huckabee lash out at Sotomayor nomination

Congressional Republicans are taking a cautious approach to Sonia Sotomayor, but potential GOP presidential candidates aren’t quite following suit.

Both Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee unleashed potent attacks on Sotomayor on Tuesday, contrasting themselves with a more judicious approach from their party’s Capitol Hill contingent.

Romney called Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court “troubling.”

“Her public statements make it clear she has an expansive view of the role of the judiciary,” he said in a statement. “Historically, the Court is where judges interpret the Constitution and apply the law. It should never be the place ‘where policy is made,’ as Judge Sotomayor has said. Like any nominee, she deserves a fair and thorough hearing. What the American public deserves is a judge who will put the law above her own personal political philosophy.”

Huckabee was even more strong-worded in his reaction.

“The appointment of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court is the clearest indication yet that President Obama’s campaign promises to be a centrist and think in a bipartisan way were mere rhetoric,” he
said on the Huck PAC website. “Sotomayor comes from the far left and will likely leave us with something akin to the ‘Extreme Court’ that could mark a major shift. The notion that appellate court decisions
are to be interpreted by the ‘feelings’ of the judge is a direct affront of the basic premise of our judicial system that is supposed to apply the law without personal emotion. If she is confirmed, then we need to take the blindfold off Lady Justice.”

No word yet from Sarah Palin.

-Aaron Blake