Some excerpts from comments during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
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"I would trust that all members of this committee here today will reject the efforts of partisans and outside pressure groups that sought to create a caricature of Judge Sotomayor while belittling her record and achievements, her intelligence. ... Let no one demean this extraordinary woman." - Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., committee chairman.
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"I will not vote for - no senator should vote for - an individual nominated by any president who believes it is acceptable for a judge to allow their own personal background, gender, prejudices, or sympathies to sway their decision in favor of, or against, parties before the court." - Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., ranking member on the committee.
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"One attack that I find particularly shocking is the suggestion that she will be biased against some litigants because of her racial and ethnic heritage. This charge is not based on anything in her judicial record because there is absolutely nothing in the hundreds of opinions she has written to support it." - Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.
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"The Supreme Court is meant to be a legal institution, not a political one. But some individuals and groups don't see it that way. They see the Supreme Court as ground zero for their political and social battles. They want justices to implement their political and social agenda through the judicial process." - Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
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"So I do not believe that Supreme Court justices are merely umpires calling balls and strikes. Rather, I believe that they make the decisions of individuals who bring to the court their own experiences and philosophies. ... So I believe you, too, will bring your experiences and philosophy to this highest court. And I believe that will do only one thing and that is strengthen this high institution of our great country." - Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
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"We cannot simply brush aside her extra-judicial statements. Until now, Judge Sotomayor has been operating under the restraining influence of a higher authority - the Supreme Court. If confirmed, there will be no such restraint that would prevent her from - to paraphrase President Obama - deciding cases based on her heartfelt views." - Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
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"First, as we will hear in the next few days, Judge Sotomayor puts rule of law above everything else. Given her extensive and evenhanded record, I am not sure how any member of this panel can sit here today and seriously suggest that she comes to the bench with a personal agenda." - Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
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"There must be a vigorous debate about the kind of judge America needs, because nothing less than our liberty is at stake. Must judges set aside, or may judges consider, their personal feelings in deciding cases? Is judicial impartiality a duty or an option?" - Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.