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Fox airs on-screen graphics featuring Sotomayor's college yearbook quote of Socialist Thomas

May 27, 2009 3:33 pm ET

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SUMMARY: Fox News featured on-screen graphics noting that Judge Sonia Sotomayor quoted Norman Thomas, a six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America, in her Princeton yearbook. Neither Sotomayor's yearbook page nor Thomas was discussed during the segment.

35 Comments

During the May 27 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom, while co-host Bill Hemmer interviewed Wendy Long, counsel to the Judicial Confirmation Network, regarding Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Fox News featured a series of on-screen graphics noting that Sotomayor quoted Norman Thomas, a six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America, in her Princeton University yearbook. According to a graphic included in a slideshow released by the White House, in her "Princeton '76 yearbook page," Sotomayor quoted Thomas' statement, "I am not a champion of lost causes, but of causes not yet won." Neither Sotomayor's yearbook page nor Thomas was discussed during the segment.

From the White House slideshow:

From America's Newsroom:

 

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    • Author by IRONY 101 (May 27, 2009 3:39 pm ET)
      3  
      Oh my God!!! Sonia Sotomayor is a socialist...and maybe a Muslim too. Someone check her birth certificate... ;>)
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      • Author by magnolialover (May 27, 2009 3:41 pm ET)
        2  
        I don't think you have to be from the US to be nominated as a Supreme Court Justice. I'm actually not really sure if there are any requirements at all, other than the President chooses you, or nominates you.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by IRONY 101 (May 27, 2009 3:51 pm ET)
          2  
          So you want a damn FOREIGNER to serve on the Supreme Court?? You America haters make me sick... ;>)
          Report Abuse
          • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (May 27, 2009 3:53 pm ET)
            3  
            If Clarence Thomas is the best this country has to offer, you bet it's time to look elsewhere...
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            • Author by IRONY 101 (May 27, 2009 3:59 pm ET)
              1  
              Well, I've heard that Barack Obama is not actually from here...so maybe he might be interested after he's impeached for all those abuses of power the right wingers accuse him of. ;>)
              Report Abuse
        • Author by mari2jj2970 (May 28, 2009 2:12 am ET)
             
          Sotomayor is a U S citizen who was born in the continental US. Her parents were born in Puerto Rico and came to New York where Sotomayor was born. A Puerto Rican is from the Unites states. It has been part of the US for years. Anyone born in Puerto Rico IS an American citizen so her parents were also U S citizens. Remember the Political Convention when a Perto Rican delegate stood and the crowd was silent for some time and finally, the delegate from Puerto Rico casts its votes for a one of the nominees. "Puerto Rico Casts its votes for so and so" The convention crowd erupted with claps and laughter. I think they had only that one delegate at that time. As a commonwealth of the US, the Island has a very unique relationship to U S. http://gopuertorico.about.com/od/introductiontopuertorico/f/Statehood.htm
          Report Abuse
          • Author by mefirst (May 28, 2009 6:58 am ET)
               
            guam is the same situation.
            Report Abuse
          • Author by Brabantio (May 28, 2009 8:27 am ET)
               
            Off-topic, but it reminded me that you can't buy beer at Wal-Mart if you're from Puerto Rico. My wife and I were behind someone in line who was trying to do so, and they had to bring out a manager to deal with the situation. The real kicker was this guy worked for the government in Puerto Rico, but they wouldn't accept his government identification. He said "It's part of the United States" and the manager said "I know, sir, I've been to college". He said the I.D. was real and she said they didn't dispute that. I asked what the difference was between denying a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico and denying a U.S. citizen from Arizona, and she didn't have an answer for that. Apparently it's just their policy and an employee could get fired for violating it.

            It was so bizarre that I actually had to ask the man before the manager arrived "isn't that a United States territory?" I was wondering if I had been misinformed all these years, or if I missed some major news story about them gaining independence.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by LuvLuLu (May 28, 2009 10:35 pm ET)
                 
              Lots of states' beverage commissions have similar rules, and many times it's the local stores that make the decisions.

              The workers have to be trained on what ID they can accept, and they don't train them on what a 'real' Puerto Rico license looks like, so they can't use that without the workers opening themselves up to potential liability for accepting ID that's not actually valid!

              Employees are told that they can only accept certain ID types, and if they accept other ID's, they can and are walked out on the spot. It can be huge fines to the business if one of their representatives sells alcohol in an improper way.
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              • Author by Brabantio (May 29, 2009 12:10 am ET)
                   
                What strikes me as odd about that is that the same would hold true for someone from Alaska going to a bar in Mississippi. You're not likely to see that very often, so there's not much need to train anyone to recognize that state's identification.

                Besides, you can just have a reference sheet for what each different I.D. looks like, which I believe many places use anyway. That would eliminate any and all liability as long as the identification was verified through the reference sheet.

                It just baffles me when a business restricts itself from selling something for no clear reason.
                Report Abuse
    • Author by magnolialover (May 27, 2009 3:41 pm ET)
      3  
      Now, some conservative tell me why this is a big deal? It's not. It's a quote. And a pretty good quote as well.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (May 27, 2009 3:54 pm ET)
        3  
        Maybe she should have quoted from St Jude, the patron saint of lost causes. Then FOX would have to put up descriptions of Danny Thomas instead of Norman Thomas.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by JohnBarringer (May 27, 2009 11:14 pm ET)
             
          Yeah, but see, Danny Thomas is the father of Marlo Thomas and Marlo Thomas is married to Phil Donohue and Phil Donohue is a communist so Danny Thomas probably is too!

          See how this works?
          Report Abuse
      • Author by carlileb5935 (May 27, 2009 4:53 pm ET)
        1  
        Norman Thomas ! Norman Thomas !

        Last month it was Saul Alinsky. It's amazing how much concern these righties have over old forgotten figures who they know absolutely nothing about and had never even heard of.

        Wonder who's next? Max Eastman?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by seeryer (May 27, 2009 3:51 pm ET)
      2  
      Oh crap. My yearbook quote was by Tupac Shakur. I'll never get by Fox News and Bill O'Reilly when I get nominated to the Supreme.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (May 27, 2009 3:55 pm ET)
        5  
        My yearbook quote was by Tupac Shakur.
        Did it say, "Give me more iced tea, M-F'er!"?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by solon (May 27, 2009 4:13 pm ET)
      5 1
      Let ME quote a man who ran for president FIVE times on the Socialist ticket Eugene Debs

      “I don't want you to follow me or anyone else. I would not lead you into the promised land if I could, because if I could lead you in, somebody else would lead you out.”

      Do you really have to be a Socialist to think this is an insightful comment? What is it about the concrete, simpleminded Manichean thinking that some conservatives find so appealing when it is SO CLEARLY limiting and intellectually bankrupt. A good idea is a good idea. That is the essence of why an ad hominem suffers from the logical fallacy of being IRRELEVANT
      Report Abuse
      • Author by mindsofmush (May 27, 2009 4:22 pm ET)
        1 4
        Its irresponsible of FOX news to not show the actual quote. They, like everyone else in the media, has an AGENDA. Yes, it is a nice quote, but you quote people because you admire and you respect them. But looking at this objectively, how is it not disturbing that she quoted a socialist who also said "The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of 'liberalism' they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened."?? When this same person is being nominated to the highest court, don't you think that should garner some attention?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Brabantio (May 27, 2009 4:54 pm ET)
          1  
          "Yes, it is a nice quote, but you quote people because you admire and you respect them."

          Not necessarily. There's nothing in that quote that's specific to ideology. All it does is express determination. I don't see why identifying with that means she has to admire and respect the person who said it.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by cArn (May 27, 2009 10:52 pm ET)
            3 1
            Hell, you can still admire and respect someone and not agree with their ideology. Apparently that concept is too nuanced for some black-and-white thinkers.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by Brabantio (May 28, 2009 8:29 am ET)
              1  
              That's an excellent point. It's sometimes difficult for me to remember that when I read about the likes of Hannity and Limbaugh every day.
              Report Abuse
          • Author by Conchobhar (May 28, 2009 12:54 pm ET)
            1  
            "I don't see why identifying with that means she has to admire and respect the person who said it."

            You're right, Brab. In certain situations I tell a story about one decision made by Josef Stalin. I liked the reasoning behind it, and my retelling usually gets a wry, anti-clerical chuckle. It's also the only thing I know about the man that doesn't horrify me.
            Report Abuse
        • Author by solon (May 27, 2009 6:04 pm ET)
          1  
          NO I dont. Not only is Brab right about it being more about determination than ideology also you agree with a STATEMENT which doesnt mean you agree with EVERY SINGLE THING THEY EVER SAID. In fact I dont know of ANYONE I agree with all the time so I dont even see your point.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by worrierking (May 27, 2009 6:14 pm ET)
          3  
          More quotes from another socialist bastard.

          Blessed are the poor in spirit,
          for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

          Blessed are they who mourn,
          for they shall be comforted.

          Blessed are the meek,
          for they shall inherit the earth.

          Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
          for they shall be satisfied.

          Blessed are the merciful,
          for they shall obtain mercy.

          Blessed are the pure of heart,
          for they shall see God.

          Blessed are the peacemakers,
          for they shall be called children of God.

          Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
          for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
          Report Abuse
          • Author by az4420 (May 27, 2009 8:51 pm ET)
               
            another quote

            E=mc^2

            http://monthlyreview.org/598einstein.php?red
            Report Abuse
        • Author by mefirst (May 27, 2009 8:13 pm ET)
             
          what is so "disturbing" about either her quote of thomas, or what your quote from thomas is? considering that a lot of the things that thomas proposed are not exactly earthshaking ideas now, he actually was correct. and as noted in the fox graphic, he was not an admirer of communism.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by open_mind (May 27, 2009 9:25 pm ET)
          1  
          Taking a snippet of wisdom from someone is not the same as endorsing a whole philosophy. If you quote Ayn Rand, does that make you an Atheist or a self-loathing woman? Because I could point out quite a few conservatives that have done precisely that lately.

          You are just a victim of knee-jerk right-wing political correctness. Can't allow anyone to see the slightest wisdom in someone that is on your "unapproved" list.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by mikehuck1976 (May 29, 2009 3:47 pm ET)
             
          Are you kidding me, Mushmouth? Come on. You really have to ask that question? You don't inherently know the answer? You think because Sotomayor used a quote from Norman Thomas that she is now a firm believer in everything the man EVER said? What are we - 10 years old?!
          Report Abuse
      • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (May 27, 2009 4:27 pm ET)
        3  
        And, as we all know, irrelevant never forgets...
        Report Abuse
    • Author by carlileb5935 (May 27, 2009 4:56 pm ET)
         
      So just who is that extra-special person she's talking about...? Hmmm.....? Get to work, Hannity.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by richard m. mathews (May 27, 2009 6:13 pm ET)
         
      We could look at the quote as one coming from a Socialist. Or we could look at it as one coming from a Republican.

      This quote was in Sotomayor's Princeton yearbook. She probably saw the quote on the Princeton campus on a plaque at Forbes College. That's the college funded by Forbes Magazine publisher and Republican member of the New Jersey Senate, Malcolm Forbes, Sr. The college is named for Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by carlileb5935 (May 28, 2009 12:35 am ET)
           
        Interesting. But I suspect she was a fan of his, too. This Norman Thomas thing is going to hurt her, because it links their socialist nuttiness to an actual, living Democartic figure. It's heaven sent for them-- they just need to find out who the guy is (and they will, soon.)
        Report Abuse
    • Author by my4cents (May 27, 2009 9:36 pm ET)
         
      It seems that since Obama became President, the right wingers (the 26%) are more scared than before of anything non-white.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by wisekid (May 27, 2009 11:33 pm ET)
         
      Socialist or not, good judge or bad just, birth certificate or not, all this does not matter to me. What shocked me, however, was a picture of the Judge I came across, crossing her legs above her knees (not very flattering). Michelle Obama did the same at UC Merced, while millions of people watched the news, with and the camera focusing on her knee caps. What is it with the American women with the Harvard and Yale degrees? Are they truly role models for our daughters? A lady never, ever crosses her legs above her knees. I learned this before I entered finishing school, maybe as an 1st grader from my mother, long before I heard of Norman Thomas and Barack Obama.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by cdmsr (May 28, 2009 1:25 am ET)
         
      For the past several years,I have watched the right become more and more unhinged as W. self-destructed, their heroes unravelled and their leadership became laughingstocks. I watched and enjoyed it. I laughed at them and egged them on to oblivion and irrelevance. Now, I have to say: It never gets old! Keep it up, GOP, you whackmofos! And say hello to the Whigs and the Know Nothings for me.
      Report Abuse

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