Washington: President Barack Obama celebrated
the rise of Sonia Sotomayor to be the Supreme Court's newest
member and first Hispanic, saying her story and achievement
will be an inspiration for generations.
"When Justice Sotomayor put her hand on that Bible and
took that oath ... we came yet another step to the more
perfect union that we all seek," Obama told a White House
reception for Sotomayor Wednesday that was packed with her
family and friends, as well as the lawmakers, advocates,
Hispanic community leaders and others who helped shepherd her
confirmation through the Senate.
"Because while this is Justice Sotomayor's achievement,
the result of her ability and determination, this moment is
not just about her. It's about every child who will grow up
thinking to him-or herself, 'If Sonia Sotomayor can make it,
then maybe I can too.'
Sotomayor was Obama's first pick for the court but is not
expected to have any influence on its political balance, which
in recent years has tended toward the conservative side as it
rules on contentious US social issues.
Supreme Court justices often serve for life or until they
decide to retire.
Following Obama at the lectern, Sotomayor spoke
emotionally about her ascension from a modest background to
the highest bench in the United States. She grew up in public
housing projects in New York before getting an education at
elite universities and starting her legal career.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 22:19