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Michael Goldfarb continues to embarrass himself

May 29, 2009 12:48 pm ET by Jamison Foser

The Weekly Standard's Michael Goldfarb remains on the lookout for evidence that Sonia Sotomayor has benefited from "preferential treatment." 

On Wednesday, Goldfarb argued that one such example was when a law firm apologized to Sotomayor for suggesting that she only got into Yale Law School because she was Puerto Rican (rather than because she had compiled an impressive academic record at Princeton, including winning the school's top academic prize.)  That's a pretty absurd example of "preferential treatment," but today Goldfarb outdoes himself.

Here's Goldfarb:

Stuart Taylor digs up another example from Sotomayor's Princeton days:

In October 1974, Princeton allowed Sotomayor and two other students to initiate a seminar, for full credit and with the university's blessings, on the Puerto Rican experience and its relation to contemporary America.

I went to Princeton but somehow I never got to teach my own class, or grade my own work. One wonders how Sotomayor judged her work in that class, and whether the grade helped or hindered her efforts to graduate with honors.

And here's the Princeton press release Taylor cites:

So they [Sotomayor and two other students] did what scores of other Princeton Students have been able to do for the past six years: they initiated their own seminar ... The seminar is being taught by Dr. Peter E. Winn, Assistant Professor of History and a specialist in Latin American affairs.  Under a plan adopted by Princeton in 1968 students are free to propose seminars on special topics to a faculty Committee on Course of Study. ... In the past 12 terms 132 such courses have been approved and offered."
The release also makes clear that the seminar Sotomayor initiated had been offered twice before.

So Goldfarb's snide comments about Sotomayor teaching her own class and grading her own work seem to be completely baseless: she didn't teach the class.

It is, however, increasingly clear why Goldfarb's Princeton career didn't go the way Sonia Sotomayor's did, and it has less to do with Sotomayor receiving "preferential treatment" than with Goldfarb's limited reading comprehension abilities.

UPDATE: And, of course, this is yet another example of the trouble you get into when you take your cues from Stuart Taylor.

Tags: Supreme Court Nominations, Sotomayor Nomination

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    • Author by thebewilderness (May 29, 2009 1:02 pm ET)
      7  
      Over the years that technique has been one of the most effective in maintaining the myth of the wealthy white male's natural superiority. Simply dismiss anyone who achieves excellence as having cheated in some manner.
      This is a rather blatant example.
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    • Author by captfoster2 (May 29, 2009 1:20 pm ET)
      6  
      "It is, however, increasingly clear why Goldfarb's Princeton career didn't go the way Sonia Sotomayor's did,"

      And so he figures to prove his manhood / intellect by attack someone that succeeded in doing what he failed to do...

      Graduate with honors. Second in her class. Editor of the Review.

      Hmmm... any chance Mr. Goldfarb comes in here (or one of his minions) to read comments and/or facts said about him?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by seeryer (May 29, 2009 1:26 pm ET)
      5  
      One thing I would like for MMFA to find out is what was "full credit" and how much that one class' credit represented her total credits at Princeton. This information would most likely belittle Goldfarb's point even more. I wonder how much Goldfarb's grade in American History helped or hindered his efforts at Princeton. I would also love a transcript of Goldfarb's. Will he realease that?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by thebewilderness (May 29, 2009 5:21 pm ET)
        2  
        Far as I know, a seminar is not a credit class, but then I didn't go to Princeton and I'm not a wealthy white male who makes my living showing my asshat in public.
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        • Author by seeryer (May 30, 2009 5:31 pm ET)
          1  
          "a seminar is not a credit class"

          That is what I was thinking. Maybe a third of the credit a single regular class earns. These right wingers are a bunch of Inspector Clouseaux's aren't they?
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    • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (May 29, 2009 4:32 pm ET)
      4  
      I think there is one thing wrong with the headline to this article: "Michael Goldfarb continues to embarrass himself." If one thing has been made abundantly clear over the last 30 years, it is that the right-wingnuts are incapable of embarrassment, and of shame.
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