Republicans fight Obama Supreme Court choice

By Andrew Quinn

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers pressed an attack against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on Monday, fighting an uphill battle to derail her nomination by President Barack Obama as the first Hispanic justice on the top U.S. court.

Sotomayor, 55, was widely expected to win confirmation on the ideologically-divided nine-member court which rules on key Constitutional issues, which could include the death penalty, abortion and gun rights.

Republicans have all but conceded they lack the votes to stop the Democratic-run Senate from approving Sotomayor to the life-time post. Many on both sides of the aisle agree she has outstanding legal qualifications.

"Unless you have a complete meltdown, you're going to get confirmed," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told Sotomayor as the Senate Judiciary Committee began several days of hearings.

But Republican leaders nevertheless launched a sharp political attack on her record, hoping to highlight what they say are Obama's plans to use the Supreme Court to drive social change.

"I believe our legal system is at a dangerous crossroads," said Senator Jeff Sessions, the top ranking Republican on the committee.

"Down one path is the traditional American legal system, so admired around the world, where judges impartially apply the law to the facts without regard to their own personal views.

"Down the other path lies a Brave New World where words have no true meaning and judges are free to decide what facts they choose to see. In this world, a judge is free to push his or her own political and social agenda."

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