Sotomayor opponents in weak field position so far

"Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences,… our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging," she said.

In her talk, she disagreed with an approach to judging expressed by former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the US Supreme Court. Justice O'Connor was frequently quoted as saying that a wise old man and a wise old woman would reach the same conclusion in deciding cases.

"I'm not so sure that I agree with the statement," Sotomayor said. "I would hope a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

This comment, combined with her Duke University comment, will probably form the nucleus of any attempt to defeat Sotomayor's nomination. At a minimum, it will spark an exploration of different visions of the role of judges among Republicans and Democrats, jurists and politicians.

White House officials encouraged the examination of Sotomayor and her statements in the broader context. "If one looks closely at [nearly] 17 years of judicial opinions, you'll see that this is not someone that you can reasonably argue advocates or is engaged in legislating from the bench," Mr. Gibbs said.

Ultimately, it will be up to Sotomayor to defend her nomination. She began that task on Tuesday with her first public comments.

She cited her work as a prosecutor, corporate lawyer, trial judge, and appeals-court judge. "This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear," she said. "I strive never to forget the real-world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses, and government."

Sotomayor added: "I hope that as the Senate and the American people learn more about me, they will see that I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences."

Further reading

Case involving firefighters in New Haven, Conn., that is currently before the US Supreme Court (Sotomayor was a member of a three-judge appeals-court panel that ruled on this)

Dissent in a ruling that the New York Police Department could terminate an employee from his desk job who sent racist materials through the mail

Ruling in a copyright case, New York Times Co. v. Tasini

Official biography on the website for the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Senate vote on Sotomayor's nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

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