Republican Senator Jeff Sessions' Take on Sotomayor's Confirmation Process
HOLMES: We have been looking back this day, 65 years, this anniversary of the D-Day in Normandy. We've been watching the ceremonies all day. We've been showing you live pictures here on CNN. Our Dan Lothian was at that ceremony. He joins us now on the phone. Dan, things have kind of wrapped up there now, but remind our viewers just kind of, we understand that your idea of the theme. But a lot of these leaders hit on some of the same points today.</s>DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): They really did T.J., and when you're watching it on television, you hear it on television, you get one sense of what this ceremony was all about, but when you're there in person, it really was a powerful and emotional commemoration remembering the soldiers who died, more than 9,000 buried here, Americans buried here at the American Cemetery. And then the veterans who landed on Omaha Beach and other beaches here in Normandy and are now still alive, up in age, but still alive. We heard from those speakers as you mentioned, from Gordon Brown of Britain, from Prime Minister Harper of Canada, from Sarkozy of France and then of course Mr. Obama talking about faith, courage and sacrifice.</s>HOLMES: I think we just lost our Dan Lothian. We're having some issues with that signal today. Dan, we do appreciate you. But Dan checking in for us there. He was at that ceremony again, American Cemetery there in Normandy. Really overlooks Omaha Beach where so many Americans did land, did come ashore on this day 65 years ago. Here you're seeing a picture of the president during that ceremony. But really, a day to remember, a day to celebrate, a day to commemorate as well. There are the five leaders, you see Prince Charles there as well who was part of the ceremony. But part of our D-Day commemoration and coverage here on</s>CNN. NGUYEN: A little bit closer to home, officials in northwestern Mexico are dealing with a tremendous loss. At least 31 preschool children killed and more than 100 hurt after a massive fire at a daycare facility. It happened in Hermosillo yesterday afternoon. Parents they rushed to the scene trying to find their children. All of the victims are, get this, five years old or younger. Some are being brought to Shriner's hospitals here in the U.S. for treatment. The fire is believed to have started at a warehouse next door, and Mexico's president has called on his attorney general to investigate. In fact, we are trying to get a Mexico state government official on the phone to talk with us and give us an update on this story, and as soon as we get that, we'll bring it to you. But in the meantime, I want to tell you about this. Two key Taliban figures, they are dead after an ambush in Pakistan's Swat Valley. What's really ironic about this story, Taliban fighters themselves may have killed these men. The men were prisoners of Pakistani troops, the Pakistani military says they were both killed when the Taliban ambushed an army convoy that was transporting the prisoners. It's not clear whether the men were killed by the troops or the Taliban fighters. It's been a busy week for Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor. For three days she was on Capitol Hill meeting with and greeting with senators and answering questions about controversial comments that she's made in the past. Well we've learned those comments weren't a one time thing. We're talking about her saying Latina woman with her experiences would oftentimes reach a better conclusion than someone who is of a different color or race. Well in papers she submitted that comment came up in speeches from 1994 and as recently as 2004.</s>HOLMES: They're actually saying, Betty, it was almost like a stump speech she was giving. It was part of a stump speech. So she came out and said it was a poor choice of words. Some republicans came out and said well it was a poor choice that she made repeatedly on these words. This morning the top republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee said there was a central question he has for Sotomayor. In the weekly republican address, Senator Jeff Sessions says yes, he wants to know if Sotomayor will allow her ethnicity to color her decisions on the bench like some of those comments seem to suggest to some. Sessions has his own unique perspective, however, on the confirmation process. Our senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash explains.</s>DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Listen in to what republican Jeff Sessions told the democratic president Supreme Court nominee.</s>JEFF SESSIONS: You will get a fair hearing before this committee.</s>BASH: He is so emphatic because of his own experience. Twenty- three years ago, Sessions was nominated by Ronald Reagan to be a federal judge but was rejected.</s>SESSIONS: I am sorry that the Senate Judiciary Committee didn't see fit to find me qualified for it.</s>BASH: He is now the top republican on that very committee.</s>SESSIONS: That is a very odd thing. Somebody says it gives new meaning to the word irony.</s>BASH: Irony bringing back memories he tries to forget.</s>SESSIONS: It was not a pleasant event, I have to tell you. It was really so heartbreaking to me.</s>BASH: Then a 39-year-old Alabama U.S. attorney, Sessions was accused of racial insensitivity, calling a black lawyer boy, a white lawyer a disgrace to his race and civil rights groups like the NAACP un-American. He was pounded by democrats like Joe Biden.</s>SESSIONS: They may have taken positions not considered to be adverse to the security interests of the United States.</s>JOE BIDEN: Does that make them un-American?</s>SESSIONS: No, sir, it does not.</s>BIDEN: Does that make the positions un-American?</s>SESSIONS: No.</s>BASH: Some democratic senators Sessions now serves with called him racist.</s>SESSIONS: Now that was not fair. That was not accurate. Those were false charges and distortions of anything that I did, and it really was not. I never had those kind of views, and I was caricatured in a way that was not me.</s>BASH: Sessions went on to win a senate seat in 1996, but the allegations still sting.</s>SESSIONS: I think it was hard on them.</s>BASH: The parallel to today, some republicans charging Sotomayor as a racist is eerie. (</s>On camera): When you hear that, do you hear Ted Kennedy and other democrats going through your head saying Jeff Sessions is a racist?</s>SESSIONS: You know that's such a loaded word, and I don't think it's appropriate.</s>BASH: Sessions will ask tough questions about deep differences with Sotomayor on judicial philosophy but also hopes to use her hearing to close the door on a painful part of his past. Dana Bash, CNN, Capitol Hill.</s>HOLMES: Hundreds of mourners turning out today in Kansas for the funeral of Dr. George Tiller. Interfaith prayer services were held Friday in Wichita. Tiller was gunned down last Sunday in his own church. He was one of the few U.S. doctors who still performed late- term abortions. Anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder has been charged in Tiller's death. Federal civil rights lawyers have also launched an investigation. We're going to have a rare look at the front lines of the Normandy invasion all online. Our Josh Levs is going to be around to take us through that, stay with us.