re: #27 Occasional Reader

Noonan’s line, “her and her people”, is flawed. If it were just “her”, I’d agree. Noonan’s inclusiveness suggests that Sotomayor represents all Hispanics. She does not. Identifying her with her group is stereotyping, and is identity politics.

On the other hand, Sotomayor’s rise from poverty and obscurity is a vintage American Dream story, and one that the GOP ought not tarnish. Noonan is right about that. Rather, the GOP should congratulate her on her success, and then engage her where it counts: on judicial philosophy, race and ethnicity, and identity politics. On those issues, the GOP wins if the GOP leadership isn’t hiding from its best ideas.