Jun 3, 2009 8:30 am US/Central
Gingrich Backs Off Calling Sotomayor 'Racist'
WASHINGTON (CBS) ―
-
-
A week after labeling Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor as racist, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has retreated from that comment. (File)
CBS News
-
-
Federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor makes remarks after being named by U.S. President Barack Obama as his choice to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court during an announcement in the East Room of the White House May 26, 2009.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
-
-
President Barack Obama announces United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor (L) of New York as his Supreme Court nominee as Vice President Joe Biden (C) watches at the White House May 26, 2009 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Poll
What do you think of Obama's justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor?
You need the latest Flash player to view our Poll.
Click here to download.
Click here to
bypass this detection if you already
have the latest Flash Player.
A week after labeling Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor as racist, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has retreated from that comment.
In an e-mail to supporters, the Washington Bureau Chief for Cox Radio News, Gingrich says his stinging rebuke of President Barack Obama's pick was flawed.
"My initial reaction was strong and direct - perhaps too strong and too direct. The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so. Since then, some who want to have an open and honest consideration of Judge Sotomayor's fitness to serve on the nation's highest court have been critical of my word choice.
"With these critics who want to have an honest conversation, I agree. The word "racist" should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable," Gingrich wrote.
He is referring to comments Sotomayor made in 2001 to a Berkeley conference on law and diversity, where she said, "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."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
CBS News Interactive: The Supreme Court
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
