GOP Strategy for Sotomayor

It is out of the bag; we all now know who the President has selected to serve on the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

She happens to also be the first Hispanic nominee. Unfortunately, that will be tomorrow's headlines, not her controversial opinions or statements of the past.

The nominee, if confirmed, will have the ability to challenge and redefine the constitution, although that isn't their purpose. These judges truly impact our lives in many ways. In a sense, they are in a position to shape the culture of America. This is a lifelong tenure. In the case of Judge Sotomayor, that means she can will likely serve on the Supreme Court for 30 or so years.

Therefore, any nominee should be scrutinized. Every nuance of their life inspected. Judges, after all, should be just; model citizens. Trustworthy. Honest. We have a right to know who they are, what they believe, how they conduct themselves on the bench and in their personal lives. These judges are appointed to serve the American people, and the American people have the right to know everything about them.

The GOP will be in a difficult position. It won't be easy to criticize the record of the first Hispanic nominee. I have just two pieces of advice for the GOP and our elected officials.

Firstly, do not attack Sotomayor. Talk policy. Talk ideology. Oppose her rulings and her thoughts, but do not attack her. The dialogue should be able to exist with or without the nominee. Remind America what conservatism and the GOP stands for. That seems obvious enough.

The second piece of advice is also pretty self apparent. Lately, our Party has been struggling to find a leader, a voice that can resonate throughout the country. In this case, the choice is simple: we need Sen. Mel Martinez to be the spokesperson, the leader of the opposition. He is Hispanic and he is not seeking re-election. This reality sets him free from public opinion and will make his opposition appear sincere than a typical career politician ( ask Veep Cheney described himself as such at the AEI conference).

With the right message and the right messenger, the GOP can dominate the battle to come and demonstrate to the American people the GOP's diversity and adequately paint a detailed image for America's future. We can oppose bad ideas, and still give our "tent" a welcoming vibe. After all, we are the Party of the "shinning city upon a hill".