Leahy's Prefab Sotomayor Talking Points

A Huffington Post piece on the Sotomayor hearings, reports that: "As [Senator Leahy] spoke, a Democratic operative passed on some observations and talking points that are being pushed around in Sotomayor's defense." Does anyone believe for a minute that those talking points were not written before the hearings began today?

Take a look at this HuffPo piece on Day 2 of the Sotomayor hearings.  Here’s the quote to read:

As he [Senator Leahy] spoke, a Democratic operative passed on some observations and talking points that are being pushed around in Sotomayor's defense.

1. She answered "wise Latina" effectively -- will be difficult for Republicans to come back at that.

2. Sessions didn't lay a glove on her -- the only case he would talk about out of thousands is Ricci, and she answered it.

3. She's at ease and in control up there -- very comfortable and forthcoming.

Does anyone believe for a minute that those talking points were not written before the hearings began today? Just for starters, Senator Sessions’ opening statement (or here if you want to read them all) discussed gun control and private property cases. But few will bother with that, when the “talkers” are already out there, spinning away.  That’s part of how Washington works. And let’s go on.  Here’s Sam Stein’s report on Sotomayor’s answer on the Kelo case (a case about the taking of private property):

Sotomayor was equally non-committal on Kelo v. City of New London, which allowed the government to use eminent domain to transfer private property from one owner to another. She described the ruling as "now a precedent of the court."

"I must follow it," she added.

Well, yes, that’s true – in her current capacity.  Once she’s on the Supreme Court, however, that restraint common to Court of Appeals judges falls away.  Note that she said “must” and not “will.” And that’s another part of Washington, too.