In a softball exclusive interview with liberal Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Tuesday, NBC Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie feared that “our legal system, our constitutional system” was “under pressure” during the Trump administration and urged the jurist to condemn that supposed threat to democracy.
Sotomayor was on the morning show to promote her new children’s book and Guthrie wondered: “There are so many lessons here. Why young people, though? Because you could write a book for anybody, of course.” Sotomayor replied: “They’re our future. I tell kids all of the time we adults haven’t done a terrifically good job about leaving them a perfect world. We’re so far from it.”
Later in the friendly exchange, Guthrie observed: “I mean, the things you talk about, I think, will be good messages for anybody. One of the things you talk about, it’s almost a love letter to the rule of law.” The host suggested a hidden message there: “Should we read between the lines there? You talk about the importance of the rule of law.”
Sotomayor avoided any political commentary and responded in part: “Well, I think sometimes that’s lost. And people don’t really understand it.”
Guthrie lamented: “You’re obviously a sitting Supreme Court Justice so I don’t get to ask you about all the things I’d love to ask you about, about the politics of the day.” Sotomayor interjected: “Oh, I’m sure there’s a lot of questions.”
Rather than challenge the Justice on her liberal views or the way she ruled on recent high-profile cases, Guthrie instead worried: “Do you feel like our legal system, our constitutional system, separation of power, checks and balances, are those things under pressure today like they haven’t been in the past?”
Sotomayor expressed some reluctance at accepting the premise of the question, but then compared the current political climate under President Trump to the era of Senator Joseph McCarthy:
You know, it’s hard to say that. Think about other times in our history where they have been under pressure. Think of the McCarthy era, where people really struggled with whether the law was going to protect our freedoms adequately. There are always pressures on our democracy. And what saves our democracy, always, is involved citizens willing to take up the challenge that our Constitution presents them with.
She concluded: “So for me, is this any different than any other time? I’ll let your viewers decide that. But I do know that it’s a time where people have to stay involved in ensuring our Constitution is always protected.”
Wrapping up the easy interview, Guthrie recalled: “Finally, when we met with your memoir’s release a few years ago, you said one of the reasons why you wrote it was to hold on to the real Sonia. So are you still holding on to the real Sonia?” Sotomayor assured her: “I’m really still trying. None of my friends have hit me with that book yet.”
It was fitting that Guthrie concluded her latest softball sit-down with Sotomayor by referencing her last softball exchange with the Justice in 2013. At that time, Guthrie showed no hesitation in diving into politics, wringing her hands over the Court “splitting along partisan or ideological lines” with “so-called liberals” battling the “conservative ideological bloc.” In part two of that interview, the host chatted with Sotomayor about her love life.
Tuesday’s gentle treatment of Sotomayor on NBC, came after all three network morning shows eagerly touted Democratic efforts to tear down and block President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during upcoming Senate confirmation hearings.
NewsBusters has comprehensively documented the glaring double standard when it comes to media treatment of liberal and conservative Supreme Court nominees.
Here are Guthrie’s questions to Sotomayor during the September 4 interview on the Today show:
8:34 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: As mentioned, the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are beginning today. And if confirmed, he will serve alongside our next guest, Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She has written two new books for children, The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor and Turning Pages. They’re both about her life and the challenges she’s had to overcome in meeting such success. Justice Sotomayor, Madam Justice, good morning. It’s good to be with you.
SONIA SOTOMAYOR: Good morning, Savannah. It’s so nice to see you again.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Full-Court Press; Justice Sotomayor Talks New Book]
GUTHRIE: It’s nice to see you. And I was thinking about your life, of course you worked so hard, you went to the best institutions, legal scholar, former prosecutor, former federal judge, Supreme Court Justice, did you ever think you’d be writing a book with pictures?
(...)
GUTHRIE: There are so many lessons here. Why young people, though? Because you could write a book for anybody, of course.
SOTOMAYOR: They’re our future. I tell kids all of the time we adults haven’t done a terrifically good job about leaving them a perfect world. We’re so far from it.
(...)
GUTHRIE: I mean, in Turning Pages, the one that you hold in your hand, really is a love letter to reading and to books. And you kind of tell how it’s – how they transported you throughout your life.
(...)
GUTHRIE: The other book for young adults, obviously, has some mature themes. I mean, honestly...
SOTOMAYOR: Sure.
GUTHRIE: ...the things you talk about, I think, will be good messages for anybody. One of the things you talk about, it’s almost a love letter to the rule of law. Should we read between the lines there? You talk about the importance of the rule of law.
SOTOMAYOR: Well, I think sometimes that’s lost. And people don’t really understand it.
(...)
GUTHRIE: You’re obviously a sitting Supreme Court Justice so I don’t get to ask you about all the things I’d love to ask you about, about the politics of the day.
SOTOMAYOR: Oh, I’m sure there’s a lot of questions.
GUTHRIE: Of course there are and I don’t know if you can answer it. Do you feel like our legal system, our constitutional system, separation of power, checks and balances, are those things under pressure today like they haven’t been in the past?
SOTOMAYOR: You know, it’s hard to say that. Think about other times in our history where they have been under pressure. Think of the McCarthy era, where people really struggled with whether the law was going to protect our freedoms adequately. There are always pressures on our democracy. And what saves our democracy, always, is involved citizens willing to take up the challenge that our Constitution presents them with. Because democracy doesn’t work on its own. Our republic survives because people are interested in ensuring that it continues. And the only way it will continue is to respect the limits, the strength, and the potential of the Constitution. So for me, is this any different than any other time? I’ll let your viewers decide that. But I do know that it’s a time where people have to stay involved in ensuring our Constitution is always protected.
GUTHRIE: Finally, when we met with your memoir’s release a few years ago, you said one of the reasons why you wrote it was to hold on to the real Sonia.
SOTOMAYOR: Yes.
GUTHRIE: So are you still holding on to the real Sonia?
SOTOMAYOR: I’m really still trying. None of my friends have hit me with that book yet. [Laughter]
GUTHRIE: Well, it’s a pleasure to have you here with us. I know it’s a busy time. Thank you so much for being here.
SOTOMAYOR: Thank you, Savannah, for having me.
GUTHRIE: And the books, of course, are called – today.com and you can find out more about them – Turning Pages and The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor. Thank you so much. Hoda, over to you.
HODA KOTB: What a beautiful interview.
