It never ceases to amaze me when some conservatives bemoan prejudice or, in Sotomayor's case, decry "bias" when the perceived aggrieved is a member of the country club set. I would be much more "sensitive" to their protests if these same elected officials would just once join civil rights advocates on behalf of those who have truly suffered from discrimination.

Sotomayor's innocuous "wise latina" remark was listed as a contributing reason by most of the "no" voters as a disqualifying factor. This is interesting in and of itself since the remark was explained and amounted to more than a call for a place at the table for hispanic females. It would be analogous to a white woman saying -- as women, we have to do as well, no better than men to achieve equality. I hear that sentiment expressed all the time, but I'd bet even Sessions wouldn't have the nerve to criticize that remark. This may be the sort of thing he hears from his daughters or his spouse.

But criticizing "affirmative action" type remarks by Latinos and African-Americans, and labeling them as racially biased, seems to come very naturally to this new brand of Republican.

If Sotomayor's remark was really so worrisome to them, I have four questions for them.

1. when have they ever spoken up against racial profiling?
2. where do they stand when their colleagues are caught making intemperate racial remarks against people of color?
3. how do they vote on measures to fight discrimination in employment and housing?
4. And why are they so unmoved by the "disparate impact" on a particular racial group from a biased promotional test?

It seems as though these fellows are very sensitive, very delicate, and very easily hurt -- over remarks aimed at them.

This hypersensitivity to slights against whites wouldn't bother me if they would show the same respect for discrimination and harassment that is flung about with much greater regularity against people who are not white male Senators -- and who often cannot fight back.