More key senators are reacting to the choice of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, and their comments are falling into a pattern.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is praising her "wide-ranging experience" and her understanding of the practical implications of court decisions, comments that echo those of President Barack Obama.
And Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, says that he and his colleagues want a confirmation process that is fair and thorough, a desire that Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also expressed.
A statement from Reid's office reads in part:
"As Majority Leader, I will do all I can to ensure Judge Sonia Sotomayor receives a fair and respectful hearing and the Senate’s quick confirmation.
"I commend the President for selecting such an accomplished, qualified and experienced nominee to replace Justice Souter on the Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor has had wide-ranging experience not only in the legal world, but in the real world as well, which has helped to ensure that her understanding of the law is grounded not only in theory, but also in practice."
A statement from Sessions' office reads in part:
"President Obama has stated his desire to have a full court seated at the start of its next term, a reasonable goal toward which the Judiciary Committee should responsibly and diligently move.
"But we must remember that a Supreme Court justice sits for a lifetime appointment, and the Senate hearing is the only opportunity for the American people to engage in the nomination process. Adequate preparation will take time. I will insist that, consistent with recent confirmation processes, every senator be accorded the opportunity to prepare, ask questions, and receive full and complete answers."
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