Gibbs warns: Be “exceedingly careful” in how you criticize Sotomayor
posted at 4:59 pm on May 27, 2009 by Allahpundit
Frum calls it his Ari Fleischer “watch what you say” moment.
Question: why? Why be more careful with this nomination than with those of Miguel Estrada or Robert Bork – never mind Clarence Thomas? On what basis does Gibbs single out this nomination as more sensitive than others, this debate as demanding more care than other debates?
He’s asking rhetorically, of course. On its own terms, Gibbs’s advice isn’t bad — Michael Steele, doubtless concerned about hemorrhaging any more Latino votes, made the same point yesterday — but it’s one thing for the head of the RNC to nudge his fellow Republicans and another for the White House to be warning the opposition. Imagine the nutroots pathos had a Republican press secretary dropped this on them. As it is, no doubt Team Barry’s prepping another round of attacks from the Rush/Newt/Cheney-bashing playbook for tomorrow in response to Gingrich’s latest offering. I love easy content. Click the image to watch.
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What if Tony Snow had said this?
ladyingray on May 27, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Why do we keep saying stupid things like this.
Let us enjoy our outrage.
faraway on May 27, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Schumer had the same meme the other day. Gibbs is just putting the media on the same page.
lorien1973 on May 27, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Whatever a liberal accuses a conservative of will be the exact action said liberal will do.
jukin on May 27, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Ouch. Starting to agree with Frum occasionally.
Why? Because the libs and their lackeys in the media are allowed to use the race card. It’s a fact of life. However, the string can be broken whenever the GOP finds a backbone.
ddrintn on May 27, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Isn’t the entire message Obama has been sending from the day he started his campaign? Paraphrased “Any criticism of me is, by definition, racist”.
AUINSC on May 27, 2009 at 5:04 PM
He sound like a tyrant or maybe he boss is one.
jdun on May 27, 2009 at 5:04 PM
So how many Alberto Gonzales Latino votes did the Democrats Sacrifice ?
Bork her….She has 60 % of her Majority rulings reversed by the Supreme Court . . and One more reversal pending.
JayTee on May 27, 2009 at 5:04 PM
In Sonia Sotomayor’s America…
18-1 on May 27, 2009 at 5:04 PM
The Obama/Media daily Teletype machine must be down. He wanted to get them all on the right script.
portlandon on May 27, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Or else what, Gibbsy?
TheQuestion on May 27, 2009 at 5:06 PM
I came to the exceedingly careful conclusion that Sotomayor is definitely Ugly Betty’s mom, NTTAWWT.
Christien on May 27, 2009 at 5:06 PM
More votes are lost by surrenduring to these anti-American traitors and morons. This fight has to be absolutely merciless. Identity politics must be killed without any remorse. It is a metastasizing cancer on our society that must be fought on all fronts.
progressoverpeace on May 27, 2009 at 5:06 PM
You know maybe Latinos should vote based on what is good for the nation as a whole and not what makes them feel super swellish about being a Latino or on who kisses their hineys with the greatest sniveling alacrity.
ronsfi on May 27, 2009 at 5:07 PM
this pick was to put the republican’s up against the wall… but they are only there because of their timidity. republican’s are only constrained b/c they let themselves be, by the left. time to grow a spine GOP
birdman on May 27, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Does this mean we’re not supposed to tell the truth about her?
The Judge Speaks: A Sotomayor Sampler
(They have more quotes on discrimination, 1st amendment, 2nd amendment, environment).
and
KEN BLACKWELL: Obama Declares War on America’s Gun Owners With Supreme Court Pick
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:08 PM
This is the same exact tactic Obama used to get elected in the first place…you can’t criticize me, because I am not white. I guess if it worked once, it will work again.
AUINSC on May 27, 2009 at 5:08 PM
This woman shouldn’t be a judge, period, much less on SCOTUS.
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:09 PM
This guy is a disgrace to the position.
He can’t hold a candle to Tony Snow, RIP, you awesome musician.
blatantblue on May 27, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Let me say this carefully.
She’s a racist hack!!!!!!!
roninacreage on May 27, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Robert Gibbs = Joseph Goebbels
leetpriest on May 27, 2009 at 5:10 PM
A racist hack that’s also a member of La Raza.
roninacreage on May 27, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Why is a white man telling us how to relate and react to a latino woman and her life experiences?
SouthernGent on May 27, 2009 at 5:10 PM
I do hope Ari goes on television tonight to point out this one, small bit of hypocrisy.
myrenovations on May 27, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Wrong! It is noxious “parental” advice that seeks to tilt the playing field, and narrow the investigation of the nominee. ANY criticism will be too much for this WH.
“Don’t make me come down there!” What a load.
Randy
williars on May 27, 2009 at 5:11 PM
It’s a racist pick to start with. Why not choose from the top 10 best judges in the country. Instead they go way down the list until they find someone who meets a certain race or gender requirement – that’s racist and sexist.
dpierson on May 27, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Gibbs…. what a tough guy. I shivver in my boots at his threat.
[eyeroll]
What a chubby, pasty faced wuss. Every time I see him, all I can think of is the contest Laura Ingraham had on her show one morning. She challenged callers to come up with who he looked the most like.
The top 3 were:
Mrs. Doubtfire
The Granny from the sulvester & Tweety cartoons
The Family Guy.
Laura chose the Family Guy as the winner.
UltimateBob on May 27, 2009 at 5:13 PM
when will this dolt leave?
youngO on May 27, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Gibbs is a tool.
A very dull, but sadly, still useful TOOL.
seejanemom on May 27, 2009 at 5:13 PM
I came to the exceedingly careful conclusion that Sotomayor is definitely Ugly Betty’s mom, NTTAWWT.
Christien on May 27, 2009 at 5:06 PM
HHHAAAAA! HAAAAW! BWAHAAAHAAAA!!!!
max1 on May 27, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Is Sotomayor a member of La Raza? If she is, that should be enough to have her thrown off of any bench.
progressoverpeace on May 27, 2009 at 5:15 PM
How’s this for careful… She’s an F-ing racist. Period.
Claypigeon on May 27, 2009 at 5:16 PM
She’s got ghetto Mexican eyebrows. I cannot stand the thought of a bubble-butted first lady in the White House *and* a Supreme Court justice with overly-plucked eyebrows that make her go through life looking astonished.
NahnCee on May 27, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Don’t watch teh show. Care to enlighten me?
UltimateBob on May 27, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Be careful, or Lindsey Graham will tell you haters to shut up again…
AUINSC on May 27, 2009 at 5:17 PM
I live to get squealed at by Lady Lindsy.
progressoverpeace on May 27, 2009 at 5:18 PM
You mean like these?
UltimateBob on May 27, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Can someone please tell Baghdad Bob to STFU? Seriously he comes across as the bully on the playground’s sidekick or the spoiled child who threaten to “tell mommy” if you don’t play nice. What a puss.
milwife88 on May 27, 2009 at 5:19 PM
How is her statement not racist and sexist? There shouldn’t even be debate over this! Why do liberals ALWAYS get a pass for racist and sexist comments? Why does the MSM ALWAYS cover for liberals and make mountains out of mole hills when it comes to conservatives? (rhetorical questions) She is saying that some people, by virtue of their race and gender alone, are better than others. This is clearly both racist and sexist, and her nomination ought to be rejected.
davenp35 on May 27, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Ok Gibbsy, we’ll all be exceedingly careful what we say…
EGADS WTF ever HAPPENED TO FREE SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY! ?
max1 on May 27, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Or what? They’ll sic the IRS on us?
Obaa thinks everyone is a Chrysler senior creditor.
drjohn on May 27, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Wow, just checked over at LGF and Charles is going all gangsta on Rush. Thinks Sotomayor is a moderate. Haven’t been over there for a month. I could see he was jumping the shark, but this is really something!
sandee on May 27, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Screw you Gibbs.
I call them as I perceive them, and I perceive this appointee as a racist ultra left winger that has nothing but disdain for the constitution and will, as Obama pleases, rule based on what SHE thinks SHOULD be fair according to those sick, twisted, anti-constitutional “values”.
I could care less about Gibbs or Obamas threats regarding criticism of her. I’d LOVE to have either of these low lives tell me to watch my step to my face. It’d be about the last thing they ever said without a lisp.
Spiritk9 on May 27, 2009 at 5:23 PM
He is right, we should treat little Sonia no better or worse then they treated Estrada, Bork, Meirs, etc.
No less, No more…equality.
right2bright on May 27, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Gibbs reminds me of the Pillsbury Doughboy–or the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man.
BuckeyeSam on May 27, 2009 at 5:24 PM
That fat bubble head of his give the impression that there might be some brains behind that massive forehead. Just goes to show you, don’t judge books by their covers.
Spiritk9 on May 27, 2009 at 5:26 PM
What? No sister having sex with her brother to impregnate her lesbian girlfriend material?
Now that’s content…
SteveMG on May 27, 2009 at 5:26 PM
Yea! The King will censor you!
Cybergeezer on May 27, 2009 at 5:26 PM
UltimateBob,
Here.
Christien on May 27, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Ah, more advice from libs. They’re so generous with their advice.
LibTired (KO) on May 27, 2009 at 5:27 PM
“Careful what you say about her, or we’ll send Vito to break your political legs.”
Don’t you just love having organized crime running this country?
Daggett on May 27, 2009 at 5:28 PM
He reminds me of an amoeba. I’m constantly amazed that anyone was able to teach it how to talk … kind of. But it’s fun to watch him, like a flea circus.
progressoverpeace on May 27, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Remember during the presidential campaign,
Obama threatened,er,I mean warned not to
besmirch OMama Obama!!
There appears to be a pattern,a Liberal
pattern at that!!
canopfor on May 27, 2009 at 5:29 PM
More from the NYT believe it or not:
A Judge’s View of Judging Is on the Record
Ever heard of rule of law?
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:29 PM
Thanks. I know who Ugly Betty is, I was trying to figure out what NTTAWWT meant.
I figured it out. :-)
UltimateBob on May 27, 2009 at 5:29 PM
She prefers the “Law of Rule”.
progressoverpeace on May 27, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Obama keeps using that expression, but I think he interprets it to mean, “I am the law.”
Daggett on May 27, 2009 at 5:31 PM
Newt is not listening to Gibbs:
Gingrich Calls Sotomayor “Racist”
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:31 PM
She supports amnesty for illegals
She supports racial gerrymandering
This is one of the organizations she was (until just recently) on the board of.
right2bright on May 27, 2009 at 5:31 PM
I’m so freaking tired of getting advice from the enemy.
Darth Executor on May 27, 2009 at 5:31 PM
These people have no shame.They tell you what to wear ,what to eat ,what to drive.Now they think they can tell you what to think.We are headed for real trouble and i,m afraid it,s not going to be pretty .
thmcbb on May 27, 2009 at 5:32 PM
Yeah, we’ve gone from Rex Lex The King is the Law
to the freedom of Lex Rex The Law is King
back to the chains.
Sorry, I don’t know Latin for “Chicago Way is the Law”.
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:33 PM
Is there a hair on a pop can related to this case,
as Anita Hill was Witch Hunting against Clarence
Thomas,ala,
kangeroo court launched by the Liberals!!
Remember back when,how the Liberals treated that
nomination!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It wasn’t pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on May 27, 2009 at 5:33 PM
Sotomayor is from Puerto Rico, not Mexico. There is a difference.
BTW, I have noticed that many Hispanic immigrants don’t like Puerto Ricans because we are US Citizens by birth(yes, I’m PR), while others Hispanics have to be naturalized or remain illegal.
It wouldn’t surprise me if she was a PR separatist, advocating independence of PR from the US, and the “liberation” of Vieques.
AverageJoe on May 27, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Charles jumped the shark a while back. Something going on in the background, I think he may have a new liberal girlfriend that he’s afraid of offending, or something along that line. Or maybe he has a waxing hormone imbalance that is affecting his judgement. When he cited RealClimate.com as an authoritative source in debunking a global warming skeptic’s paper, I knew there had been a disturbing change in him. It’s a pity.
iurockhead on May 27, 2009 at 5:37 PM
sandee on May 27, 2009 at 5:23 PM
what’s LGF?
youngO on May 27, 2009 at 5:37 PM
He reminds me of a penis that has ears so his glasses won’t fall off.
thomasaur on May 27, 2009 at 5:39 PM
.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/
iurockhead on May 27, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Must silence opposition voices… They repeat that in their sleep.
petunia on May 27, 2009 at 5:40 PM
“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,” said Judge Sotomayor
Ever heard of rule of law?
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:29 PM
So let me get this straight – a Juarez hooker is more qualified to be on the Supreme Court than Justice Roberts.
TexasJew on May 27, 2009 at 5:41 PM
Conservatives need to stop being afraid to inquire about reasonable matters.
Taking a matter-of-fact approach has hurt Cheney and his daughter. In the boxing ring of public opinion, I’d argue that those two have managed to draw blood from this preening POS who’s currently in the White House.
The GOP needs to direct its guns and work Sotomayor and Obama over, all the while declaring repeatedly and publicly in and out of the hearing that they are not assassinating Sotomayor in the mannter that Bork, Thomas, and Alito were. Indeed, GOP senators should openly state that they are going to great pains not to ask questions that will bring her loved ones to tears.
BuckeyeSam on May 27, 2009 at 5:42 PM
He reminds me of a talley-whacker that has ears to keep his glasses from falling off.
thomasaur on May 27, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Doesn’t matter. With 59 lockstep Dems and several moronic lefty Republicans in the Senate it’s easy math: She’ll sail through the confirmation process.
Fight it and we’ll be called racists… but we’re already called racists no matter what we say or do anyway. Bottom line is that it’s a dumb fight to try and pick since the makeup of SCOTUS won’t change (1-for-1 lefty judge swap; it’s not like Obama’s replacing Scalia with her) and the majority of voting non-whites will remain comfortably in the Democrat grip in 2010.
You want to change that? Then spend the money to message the benefits of Republican/Libertarian values to the 10-18 year-old non-whites through pop culture. If you don’t want to do that then resign yourselves to our new permanent minority status.
ScottMcC on May 27, 2009 at 5:43 PM
What are they gonna do? Shoot us?
hmmmmmm
Terrye on May 27, 2009 at 5:43 PM
I have to disagree with such a pillar of strength, intelligence, and honor.
Also – Gibbs: Get Bent.
tru2tx on May 27, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Now you understand… it took you long enough.
petunia on May 27, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Seriously, why’d he drop the jihadi cartoon that used to be at the top of the page? Too insensitive to terrorists?
Kensington on May 27, 2009 at 5:49 PM
That’s nice. Does Meghan have any insights?
Kensington on May 27, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Gibbs is such a smug b-tard.
RobCon on May 27, 2009 at 5:52 PM
It’s not like we are going to lose the mythical hispanic vote, so I see no reason why Sotomayor, the affirmative action pick, can’t be treated like everyone else. Or, is that the problem? She can’t handle tough scrutiny. Is she going to cry?
Blake on May 27, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Remember Estrada!
should be our rallying cry.
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:55 PM
She might. It worked for Shrillary … for a while.
I considered this and decided that I didn’t care at all. Sotomayor needs to be taken apart without mercy. If America wants a crying SCOTUS justice then we might as well hang it up, anyway.
progressoverpeace on May 27, 2009 at 5:57 PM
So Gibbs triple dog dares us. The Boogyman will getcha if you don’t shut up!
maverick muse on May 27, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Well said. Odd that so many Latinos leave their Latin American paradises to come up here…and do everything they can to make here just like home sweet home.
Dr. ZhivBlago on May 27, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Sotomayor v. Estrada, and the Scarlet C
I think the Republican members on Judiciary should be quoting Schumer & Co back to them.
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Someone needs to throw a shoe at Gibbels. A golf shoe would be my choice, though a hockey skate might do.
progressoverpeace on May 27, 2009 at 5:59 PM
INC on May 27, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Viva Estrada!
maverick muse on May 27, 2009 at 6:00 PM
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/
iurockhead on May 27, 2009 at 5:40 PM
I was an early poster at LGF, and was in the original thread with the CBS National Guard fraud (I was in that Abilene Kinko’s the same time as the document was faxed, by some curious fate).
Charles lost his mind over the evolution issue.
Even as a geologist, I found his hysteria a bit offputting.
Now it’s destroying his site.
Charles had jumped more than the shark, he has hurdled the Megalodon!
TexasJew on May 27, 2009 at 6:01 PM
If the latinos want to be slaves the government and demand we do the same to garner their vote then they can all be damned. If and when they decide liberty and limited government are the answer then welcome to the tent amigos. We can and certainly should criticize this rabid leftist, bigot, activist judge regardless if it wins us favors or not.
chicagojedi on May 27, 2009 at 6:01 PM
If anything negative is said does that mean the entire Hispanic vote is lost?I didn’t realize Hispanics were block voters like the black vote is.
docflash on May 27, 2009 at 6:02 PM
I like it!!!
Someone beat me to it. I just found this a minute ago–but I like Viva Estrada better!
Remember Miguel Estrada!
INC on May 27, 2009 at 6:02 PM
I’d like to set the record straight on this. It’s assumed that Fleisher was talking about people criticizing the government or the War on Terror. Actually that statement came in response to several outrageous statements made by a few people. First Fleisher was questioned about the following comment made by Louisana congressman John Cooksey (R), who said:
Fleisher condemned the remarks and then he was later asked to comment on a statement by Bill Maher in which Maher stated that members of our armed forces who deal with missiles are cowards, while the armed terrorists who killed 6,000 unarmed (sic) are not cowards.
After some exchanges with the press, Fleisher responded to this and the earlier comment by Cooksey as follows:
In Ari’s defense, his statement was not much more than a call to be civil in our political discourse. It’s a piece of advice that we would all be wise to follow – even with respect to our current SC nominee.
PackerBronco on May 27, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Ghostbusters!
maverick muse on May 27, 2009 at 6:03 PM
:-)
Amazing you were at the Kinko’s!
INC on May 27, 2009 at 6:03 PM
More Estrada:
Sotomayor’s Radical Legal Group Helped Kill the Estrada Nomination
I did a search on him yesterday and between then and now, the number of articles bringing him up has proliferated.
INC on May 27, 2009 at 6:06 PM
He wouldn’t have. He had class.
fourstringfuror on May 27, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Might be time to remove LGF from the “hot links” sidebar –>
Rebar on May 27, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Why? Is she some kind of royalty? Is this pre 1776?
What a pathetic little man.
MB4 on May 27, 2009 at 6:10 PM
It’s not hard to criticize a moron …
tarpon on May 27, 2009 at 6:10 PM
After watching the video, I believe everyone is making more of the comment than it warrants. Gibbs said people should be very careful how they choose to criticize this “impending” confirmation. I’d think that is actually such a generic statement that it is meaningless. Of course people should be careful about it; and about all such criticisms of any nominee for any similar office. Just because the left is classless in these things does not mean it is OK to be classless.
On the other hand, if the outrage is more about the tone of Gibbs comments, I’d think the extra venom and snarl he used with the word “blog” while talking to the press corps was sort of interesting; as was the easy way he discounted the opinions of all past lawmakers. He should be reminded of that at some point when folks like Tom Dashell have something to say.
MikeA on May 27, 2009 at 6:11 PM
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