The Worst Arguments Against Sotomayor

These two are a little ridiculous. Enjoy.

1. Conservatives are concerned that Sotomayor's Latina diet will "influence her verdicts from the bench."

Sotomayor also claimed: “For me, a very special part of my being Latina is the mucho platos de arroz, gandoles y pernir — rice, beans and pork — that I have eaten at countless family holidays and special events.” This has prompted some Republicans to muse privately about whether Sotomayor is suggesting that distinctive Puerto Rican cuisine such as patitas de cerdo con garbanzo — pigs’ tongue and ears — would somehow, in some small way influence her verdicts from the bench.

Not that it really matters, but I'm pretty sure patitas de cerdo are pigs' feet, not tongue. Ah, well.

2. Harvard economics professor Greg Mankiw says his deceased grandmother would be "shocked and appalled" that Sotomayor has not saved more money:

The Washington Post reports that the 54-year-old Sotomayer [sic] has a $179,500 yearly salary but

On her financial disclosure report for 2007, she said her only financial holdings were a Citibank checking and savings account, worth $50,000 to $115,000 combined. During the previous four years, the money in the accounts at some points was listed as low as $30,000.

My grandmother would have been shocked and appalled to see someone who makes so much save so little.

Nate Silver does a great job of debunking this argument here.