WASHINGTON (AP) - Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor sidestepped volleys of pointed questions on abortion and gun rights from senators Wednesday, keeping her demeanor cool and her opinions mostly private as she neared the end of a marathon grilling on the road to all but sure confirmation.
After more than 10 hours of questioning by Judiciary Committee senators over two days, Sotomayor had yet to make a slip - certainly not the gaffe that even Republicans concede would be necessary to derail her nomination to be the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the high court. She was due back for still more questioning today.
The appeals court judge, 55, avoided weighing in on any major issue that could come before her as a justice, instead using legal doctrine, carefully worded deflections and even humor to ward off efforts to pin her down.
Appearing more at ease in the witness chair, Sotomayor defused a tense exchange on gun rights by joking about shooting a GOP critic and charmed Democratic supporters with nostalgic praise for fictional attorney Perry Mason.
Republicans, frustrated in their attempts to undercut President Barack Obama's first high court choice, said they were still worried Sotomayor would bring bias and a political agenda to the bench.