With Sotomayor's Nomination, New Yorkers Cheer

Now that U.S. Court of Appeals judge—and Bronx native—Sonia Sotomayor has been nominated to the Supreme Court, her fellow New Yorkers are rejoicing. Mayor Bloomberg issued a statement noting that he had told President Obama that "Sonia Sotomayor would be an outstanding choice for the Supreme Court, and people whose legal opinions I greatly respect speak very highly of her," and also said, "She has been an incredibly good federal judge, and having risen from humble beginnings in the Bronx, she brings a perspective that will serve the Court - and our nation - very well. Her story is a perfect example of the kind of opportunity that is available in this City - and this country - to those who devote themselves to their dreams. Judge Sotomayor was first recommended to the federal bench by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan - and of all his great legacies, she may prove to be one of the most important.”

Sotomayor's story—from humble beginnings as a child living in a Bronx housing project and dreaming of being a private eye like Nancy Drew to earning a scholarship to Princeton and later studying at Yale—has definitely captured the country's imagination. Senator Charles Schumer, who pressed for Obama to select her, said in a statement, "Her life story...is beyond compelling," and also laid down the gauntlet, "Given her track record of excellence and moderation, and her life story, it's going to be very hard for any senator, Republican or Democrat, to vote against her."

Former Newsweek editor George Hackett, who lives in the same downtown Manhattan building as Sotomayor, tells the Daily News that the judge decorates her balcony during Halloween (hobgoblins and pumpkins) and Christmas, "She puts us all to shame...which is sort of amazing because she's not someone you'd think of as having a lot of free time." The News also spoke to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who said it's a "proud day for the Bronx...We're happy of the fact that she's Puerto Rican and from the South Bronx. But really she's the most qualified person for the job."

However, one person with more guarded thoughts is Diaz's dad, Ruben Diaz Sr., the State Senator known for his opposition to gay marriage. Diaz Sr. told PolitickerNY, "For Hispanics and for all Puerto Ricans, it's an achievement that is long overdue. The Democratic Party has taken us for granted for so long, and we feel we have been there for the Democratic Party always." But, in spite of her qualifications, "for Christians, it will be bad. She's a very liberal person, and she will support a liberal agenda."