NOW VS. THEN

"Senate Republicans responded with restraint to the announcement yesterday, and their largely muted statements stood in sharp contrast to the fractious partisanship that has defined court battles in recent decades." (Shailagh Murray & Michael D. Shear, "First Latina Picked for Supreme Court; GOP Faces Delicate Task in Opposition," The Washington Post, 5/27/09)

RNC Chairman Michael Steele: "I think our party right now will avoid the partisan knee-jerk judgments that typically come with these things."(Lisa Desjardins, CNN's Political Ticker Blog, "Steele: GOP Must Be Careful On Sotomayor," politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, 5/27/09)

NOW: Senate GOP Leaders Urge Patience in Sotomayor Nomination Process

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): "Senate Republicans will treat Judge Sotomayor fairly. But we will thoroughly examine her record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law even-handedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences." (Sen. Mitch McConnell, "McConnell Statement on Judge Sonia Sotomayor," Press Release, 5/26/09)

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ): "I congratulate Judge Sotomayor on her nomination to the United States Supreme Court. Each member of the Senate has a constitutional duty to scrutinize judicial nominees before deciding whether to support their confirmation, and I will take great care in examining her record to ensure that she demonstrates personal integrity, a commitment to the rule of law, and a judicial temperament." (Sen. Jon Kyl, "Kyl Statement On Sotomayor Nomination," Press Release, 5/26/09)

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL): "I congratulate Ms. Sotomayor on her nomination. The Senate Judiciary Committee's role is to act on behalf of the American people to carefully scrutinize Ms. Sotomayor's qualifications, experience, and record. We will engage in a fair and thorough examination of Ms. Sotomayor's previous judicial opinions, speeches, and academic writings to determine if she has demonstrated the characteristics that great judges share: integrity, impartiality, legal expertise, and a deep and unwavering respect for the rule of law." (Sen. Jeff Sessions, "Sessions: Supreme Court Hearings Will Focus On Proper Role Of Judge And Court In American Legal System," Press Release, 5/26/09)

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): "I congratulate Judge Sotomayor on her nomination and commend President Obama for nominating the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to the United States Supreme Court. ... I look forward to a fair and thorough process." (Sen. Orrin Hatch, "Hatch Statement On Sotomayor Nomination," Press Release, 5/26/09)

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): "A lifetime appointment requires a thorough vetting, and I expect Judge Sotomayor to receive fair and deliberative consideration. The United States Senate has a responsibility to carefully review nominees to the Supreme Court." (Sen. Chuck Grassley, "Sotomayor React," Press Release, 5/26/09)

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): "[I]t is imperative that my colleagues and members of the media do not pre-judge or pre-confirm Ms. Sotomayor. It is my hope that the process will allow her to prove herself to possess the impartiality, integrity, legal expertise and judicial temperament that we have come to expect from those that sit on our highest court." (Sen. John Cornyn, "Sen. Cornyn Statement On Sonia Sotomayor," Press Release, 5/26/09)

THEN: Senate Democratic Leaders Blast Alito Nomination, Threaten Filibuster

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT): "This is a needlessly provocative nomination. Instead of uniting the country through his choice, the President has chosen to reward one faction of his party, at the risk of dividing the country." (Sen. Patrick Leahy, "Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Nomination Of Samuel Alito To Be Associate Justice Of The Supreme Court", Press Release, 10/31/05)

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY): "It is sad that the President felt he had to pick a nominee likely to divide America instead of choosing a nominee in the mold of Sandra Day O'Connor, who would unify us." (Sen. Charles Schumer, Press Conference, 10/31/05)

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA): "Clearly, the President had a choice. He could of chosen someone like Sandra Day O'Connor who would unite this country. He didn't do that. He turned to the right. He wanted to shore up his base I think to the detriment of this country and to the President." (CNN's "American Morning," 11/2/05)

Sen. Boxer: "The filibuster's on the table." (Jesse J. Holland, "Republicans Enthusiastic About Alito," The Associated Press, 11/1/05)

Sen. Boxer: "I'm looking at his record and I'm very concerned. ... You look at his rulings for minorities, women, the disabled, it comes out on the far right against America's families. Of course, I'm concerned. I'm very worried and disappointed, and I'm sad about it ..." (MSNBC's "Right Now," 10/31/05)

Sen. Boxer: "[A]s we look at this man's record, it is alarming for, I believe, America's families ..." (MSNBC's "Right Now," 10/31/05)

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): "Though I will reserve judgment on how I will vote on judge Alito's nomination until after the hearings, I am concerned that President Bush has wasted an opportunity to appoint a consensus nominee in the mold of Sandra Day O'Connor and has instead made a selection to appease the far right-wing of the Republican Party." (Sen. Barack Obama, "Obama Statement On President Bush's Nomination Of Judge Samuel Alito To The Supreme Court," Press Release, 10/31/05)

Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT): "I'm disappointed that it appears President Bush chose to nominate a top choice of the extreme right. ... As the author of the Family and Medical Leave Act, I'm troubled that judge Alito wrote the lead opinion in a case that would have weakened this law." (Charles Babington, "As Democrats Lead Opposition, GOP Moderates May Control Vote," The Washington Post, 11/1/05)

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA): "But I think what we have seen now is that the administration, the President, has yielded to the extreme right-wing of his own party." (MSNBC's "MSNBC Live," 10/31/05)

Sen. Kennedy: "After stating that he believed in a diverse bench, President Bush took the nation a step backwards today. Apparently, he couldn't find a woman or minority or a mainstream nominee that meets the litmus tests of the right wing, and instead put forth a nominee with a troubling record on the rights and freedoms important to America's families." (Sen. Edward Kennedy, "Kennedy Statement On Nomination Of Judge Samuel Alito To Supreme Court," Press Release, 10/31/05)

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