In the fourth day of her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday, Republican lawmakers tried painstakingly to rattle U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, seeking to squeeze from her anything that would reveal that she is the liberal, activist judge they say she is. No such luck. Sotomayor, whom President Obama and Democratic senators have painted as a cool-headed jurist whose long tenure as an appeals court judge proves her commitment to the Constitution, was unflinching. While acknowledging regret for her highly publicized comment that a “wise Latina” trumps a White male’s decision-making skills, Sotomayor vowed loyalty to the law and denied an agenda to create new ones. Most members of the GOP have conceded that her appointment to the high court is virtually unstoppable and have relinquished the notion of a Republican filibuster. Some conservative lawmakers, understanding that there is little reward in bashing the judge – many of them realizing that they risk alienating themselves from Latino voters in the general election – have even praised Sotomayor in recent days. For example, South Carolina’s Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, who originally noted that the judge’s public comments prior to her nomination “bugs the hell out of me,” said Wednesday, “to be honest with you, your record as a judge has not been radical by any means. … “It is my belief that you are going to be a great Supreme Court justice.” California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has been laudatory of Sotomayor throughout the process, said Thursday, “I think you’re a walking, talking example of the best part of the United States of America.” Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), one of Sotomayor’s champions in the Senate, has said he plans to put her confirmation to a vote as early as next Tuesday.

 Illinois Sen. Roland Burris passionately spoke out Wednesday against claims that he did anything unethical to persuade ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to appoint him to President Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat. “If I had done the things I’ve been accused of, I’d be too embarrassed to stand up here in front of you,” he told reporters in Chicago. He also called for the media to stop the “rush to judgment.” Click for more.

Caroline Kennedy’s sudden withdrawal from consideration for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton might have reflected her realization that New York Gov. David Paterson was leaning in a different direction. Some news agencies had reported that the team responsible for vetting the candidates for Paterson had uncovered problems involving Kennedy’s taxes and a household employee. But Paterson made it clear on Thursday that “the decision to withdraw was entirely her own” and that it was not a reflection of any negative information he was aware of. Many of those close to the governor expressed surprise that Kennedy, the niece of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, had backed out of consideration, saying that she was a shoe-in for the job. Although she was unpopular among many New Yorkers, she enjoyed a large following among those who believed her family name provided all the clout needed to deliver the bacon for her constituents.

 The U.S. Senate confirmed Hillary Clinton as secretary of State Wednesday after a one-day delay forced by Republicans, which served as a hint that – despite all the warm and fuzzy moments exchanged between political parties on Tuesday – there’s still plenty of inter-party divisiveness to go around. The vote was 94-2, and spectators seated in the galleries erupted in applause when it was announced. Also confirmed on Wednesday was Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner, who apologized for failing to pay $34,000 in taxes. But things didn’t go so smoothly for Eric Holder, Obama’s choice as the nation’s top prosecutor. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee extended debate, under Senate rules, to block an immediate vote on Holder’s appointment as U.S. attorney general. So far, seven of Obama’s Cabinet picks have been confirmed.

Looks like Caroline Kennedy, who many politicos seemed certain would be named to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, has backed out. Polls have shown that Kennedy would have been an unpopular choice among New Yorkers. That reality, combined with the fact that Gov. David Paterson has assured that he is still in the interviewing stage, eroded the notion that Kennedy was a shoe-in for the slot. According to CNN, as of about 8 p.m. Wednesday, she had not yet informed New York Gov. David Paterson of her decision to withdraw. Kennedy is the 51-year-old daughter of President John F. Kennedy. Initially, she expressed her interest in being appointed to the junior senator spot, but her suggestion sparked widespread disapproval from many who said she lacked the political experience to hold such a weighty title. Others, however, were excited about the possibility of a Kennedy representing them, considering the clout that the name brings to the table. Caroline Kennedy’s decision coincides with the failing health of her uncle, Sen. Edward Kennedy, who collapsed on Tuesday during the Inauguration lunch. Kennedy was diagnosed with a deadly form of brain cancer in May, and he has been undergoing treatment.

Ready on Day One
Day No. 1 has arrived for President Barack Obama, and he’s not waiting around to get started.  On Tuesday night as Americans watched the first couple navigate 10 Inaugural Balls, a dozen or more members of Obama’s White House staff filed into Pennsylvania Avenue to get ready for what’s in store. Read more at Pamela on Politics.

Cuomo in the Running for Hillary’s Senate Seat
New York Gov. David Paterson acknowledged Tuesday that he is considering appointing Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to Hillary Clinton’s vacated U.S. Senate seat. At first, neither Paterson nor Cuomo would acknowledge that the son of former Democratic Gov. Mario Cuomo was in the running for the post. Suddenly, the notion that Caroline Kennedy is a shoe-in to fill the void is no longer a given. “He has outstanding qualities and is someone I am considering,” Paterson told CBS News at an interview during the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Paterson also reiterated his contention that there are still several other candidates in the mix. Still, Kennedy, whose uncle, longtime Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy collapsed during an inauguration lunch Tuesday, is considered by many to be a favorite possibility. “I was very impressed by her in our conversation. I found her to be very hardworking, very forthright. And she had some faux pas with the media when she first started, as have a number of people who have gone on to be outstanding in their service,” Paterson said. “So I am weighing her ability and her acumen and what she might be able to do in New York, more than that, and also, in comparison with some rather stiff competition in New York.”

After weeks of drama, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s controversial choice to replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate will be sworn in today. Former state Attorney General Roland Burris’s appointment ensures that the number of African Americans in Congress’ highest chamber – as flimsy as it is at one member – remains at its current level. Read more here.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Sunday that the U.S. Senate has the legal authority to block Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s appointment to replace Barack Obama. Blagojevich, who has been charged with trying to sell Obama’s now vacant Senate seat, defied the demands of Obama, Reid and other Democrats who asked him to forego naming a replacement because of the cloud that would hang over the selection. Speaking on “Meet The Press” Sunday, Reid said that the U.S. Constitution gives senators the power to “determine who sits in the Senate, and the House determines who sits in the House. So there’s clearly legal authority for us to do whatever we want to do. Read more here.

 President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats were in lockstep Tuesday in their rejection of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s appointment to take the U.S. Senate seat once occupied by Obama. Democrats had made it clear that they wanted Blagojevich to relinquish his power of appointment given his current legal problems. The governor is accused of trying to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder. Federal investigators say they taped Blagojevich discussing the worth of the seat. But in a surprise move on Tuesday, the governor defied the Dems and named Roland Burris, a 71-year-old former state attorney general to take Obama’s place in the Senate. Read the rest here.

Obama’s team investigates Illinois governor. President-elect Barack Obama is to release in the next couple of days a report on the internal probe into whether any of his aides had any conversations with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was charged earlier this week with trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder. Read the rest here.