Washington, D.C. Bureau reporter Scott McFarlane sends these blogs from the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor: (Times listed are Pacific.)

Day 2

Blog at 6:29 a.m.
Day two of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor confirmation hearings begin in moments.

Today is "Question and Answer" day. Each Senator on the Judiciary Committee will be allowed 30 minutes to grill Sotomayor about her judicial philosophy, previous public statements, rulings or -- as one newspaper reporter next to whom I'm sitting said -- "whatever floats their boat."

A congressional aide told me yesterday he expects some "fireworks" today.

If so, don't expect a 4th of July style show. Expect the type of fireworks you'd set off in your own backyard. A few cheap bottle rockets, some sparklers and a couple of duds.

Only some of these Senators are expected to make loud noise and offer theatrics. Others are here to smile and enjoy the glitter of moment. Others -- will be duds!

100 still photographers are standing between the witness table and Senators' dais, awaiting the arrival. Images of Supreme Court justices and nominees are hard to come by.

Blog at 6:35 a.m.
Only eight Senators arrived at today's hearing on time. The Chairman of the Committee, Pat Leahy, attributed the empty chairs at the dais to "traffic".

Yeah, Washington, DC has some terrible traffic. But -- NEWS FLASH -- all of the reporters, staffers, administration officials and visitors are here on time! Why can't Senators get here in time?

Congress often deserves the hearty criticism is receives.

That said, Kudos to Leahy Orrin Hatch, Chuck Grassley, John Cornyn, Ted Kauffman, Dick Durbin, Jeff Sessions and Al Franken. They're in their seats and ready.

Leahy asks questions first. Expect Sotomayor to do most of the talking. Leahy will likely defer.

Blog at 6:41 a.m.
You won't notice this on TV, but the room is much quieter today.

Sotomayor is finally speaking. She's answering questions. She's not reading; not sitting silently listening to Senators opine.

She's speaking. And the room is captivated.

Yesterday, while Senators were reading their 10-minute opening statements, the crowd was whispering to each other, clicking their blackberries, text-messaging and coming-and-going out of the room.

Other than the loud shutters of cameras, it's pure silence here right now.

(By the way, listen to hear the loud clack of cameras clicking each time Judge Sotomayor makes a motion with her hands. Photographers love to capture those "moving images".)

Blog at 6:42 a.m.
You'll notice Judge Sotomayor occasionally scribbling notes in front of her.

She's *not* using the pad and pencil provided to her. The Senate -- old fashioned and traditional in its ways - has placed a tiny notebook and #2 pencil in front of each Senator and at the witness table. The notepad is puny (no larger than a pad you'd use for your grocery list). Useless.

Judge Sotomayor seems to have equipped herselt with better writing equipment.

Why do I tell you this? Because it's just one example of how the Senate operates. Traditional. Old school. Sometimes - antiquated. Tiny pads and #2 pencils?!?!

Blog at 6:52 a.m.
The elephant in the room just surfaced.

Judge Sotomayor is now answering questions about her controversial ruling in the Ricci case. As a lower court judge, she'd ruled it legal for the city of New Haven, CT to throw out a promotion test for its city firefighters -- a test which none of the department's black firefighters passed. White firefighters challenged the dismissal of the test and ended up at the Supreme Court this year. The high court overruled Sotomayor's decision. One of the firefighters involved, a white man named Ricci, will testify at these confirmation hearings this week.

Pat Leahy, the chairman of this committee, is leading the questioning on this issue, perhaps trying to diffuse some of the explosiveness from this controversial case.

Blog at 6:59 a.m.
So, they're escorting groups of visitors into the hearing room every 20 minutes or so. A few dozen members of the public are brought in by a staffer and shuffled into visitors seats at the very back of the room. Afer a short while, those visitors are escorted out -- and a a new group is brought in. They're waiting in line -- out in the hot sun -- behind the Russell Senate Building, two buildings away from this hearing room.

These are the groups from which the screaming protestors surface. It happened three or four times yesterday. (one of the screamers was the famous Jane Roe -- namesake of the Roe v. Wade case -- protesting over the issue of abortionn)

I'm wondering if or when a protestor will surface today. My guess: it could happen during the questioning by Dianne Feinstein. Feinstein had indicated months ago that she'd like to engage Sotomayor in questions about abortion.

Might that be a moment a protestor jumps up? Well, it was during Feinstein's opening remarks yesterday that the first protestor surfaced.

Blog at 7:05 a.m.
Give the GOP a pretty red star.

Perfect attendance. All seven of their members of the Judiciary Committee are here. And all appear to be listening. (good eye contact with the witness) The roll call: Sens. Cornyn, Coburn, Graham, Grassley, Kyl, Hatch and Sessions. Stilll a handful of emtpy seats on the Democratic side. Among them: Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar (Who'd made a cameo earlier)

That's not a slight to the Senators. It's becoming increasingly clear: Today is a busy day at the U.S. Senate. Votes are expected. Other committees are meeting. There's other work to do.

Top Republican on the committee, Jeff Sessions, begins asking questions now.

Blog at 7:11 a.m.
Video cameras have lined up. Everybody's "rolling" on this moment.

Jeff Sessions is expecrted to be one of the -- if not the - fiercest questioner here today. Sessions is a former federal prosecutor. He's a former state attorney general. Most importantly, the Alabama Republican is the top GOP member of this committee. (newly installed as such)

Once he began speaking a roll of videographers popped out of their chairs (as if standing to salute) and steadied their cameras.

Sessions is maintaining strikingly good eye contact with Judge Sotomayor as she answers a question about her previous speeches (including a famous one on YOUTUBE about appelate judges `making policy', instead of Congress).

By the way, how powerful is the presence of technology and pop culture in our society? Judge Sotomayor just referenced YOUTUBE in her answer. John Jay, Thurgood Marshall and Warren Berger could never have imagined!

Blog at 7:25 a.m.
Jeff Sessions has raised his volume a bit.

Hard to miss it in the hearing room. He's ramping up his tone and, perhaps, trying to sound more forceful.

He's periodically adding then removing some reading glasses from the top of his nose. He's using the glasses when reading some of Judge Sotomayor's old quotes aloud. He's then removing them when he asks a follow-up question.

Senators are very, very aware of the presence and power of TV cameras here. Theater, tone and outfit are important.

It's believed some of the male Senators are wearing pancake makeup.

Sessions, by the way, said he's "troubled" by Sotomayor's previous statements. A firebrand, seminal moment it was not. If Sessions was supposed to be the source of fireworks, I'm still waiting for the bangs and booms.

Sessions is about to ask Sotomayor about that controversial New Haven, CT firefighter case.

Blog at 7:37 a.m.
30 minutes of questions each. This is a test of endurance for U.S. Senators on the Judiciary Committee.

Not for those asking the questions. But for those sitting and waiting to ask theirs later.

Al Franken is working a cup of coffee. (Grande sized) John Cornyn is fiddling with a blackberry. Tom Coburn is sifting through a thick binder of papers. Chuck Grassley and Orrin Hatch are whispering to staffers.

Herb Kohl, a senior Democrat from Wisconsin, is getting ready to go next.

Blog at 7:40 a.m.
Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl is a low-key, understated member of the Senate. He's an owner of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA basketball team. He's a senior member of Congress. (Old school reading glasses at the bridge of his nose)

But he's not a firebrand. Last week, he chaired a committee hearing on antitrust issues and said barely a word. (he gaveled the hearing into session then walked out)

Fireworks are a long shot with Kohl.

Perhaps no surprise four or five members of the press at my table just got up and walked out. (Perhaps a coffee break)

Al Franken stepped out too. (Perhaps for more coffee)

Blog at 8:11 a.m.
They're playing PR games behind the scenes here.

Democratic staffers for the Senate Judiciary Committee just handed out a one-page statement to reporters. It's titled, "Judge Sotomayor's 17-Year Judicial Record Demonstrates That She is a Fair-Minded Judge Who Will Treat All Litigants Equally" Catchy, huh?

It includes quotes just given by Judge Sotomayor, including her statement, "Every person has an opportunity to be a good and wise judge regardless of their life experience." An obvious rebuttal to criticisms of Judge Sotomayor's statement that a "Wise Latina" is uniquely qualified.

The press release just issued also includes a statementt that Sotomayor and her panel "rejected discriminationn claims roughly 80 times and agreed with them 10 times." Perhaps a rebuttal of criticsm of her handling of a discrimination case out of New Haven, CT.

Blog at 8:14 a.m.
Panel chairman Pat Leahy just announced a "flexible 10 minute break." A partial admission, I suspect, that it's hard to keep the trains running on time around here.

Lines are gonna form at the bathrooms outside the hearing room. The Senate cafeterias are gonna fill up fast too.

As the recess begins, Judge Sotomayor walks slowly toward a doorway on the left side of the room. (My left, the Senator's right) You've never seen anything like it: Dozens of photographers click photos document every step she takes toward the door. When Republicans wondered if Sotomayor would get tripped up at these hearings, that's likely not what they had in mind.

By the way, she's moving pretty smoothly for a woman nursing a broken ankle.

Blog at 8:22 a.m.
The powerful stand idle.

What to do when the nation is watching, but nothing's happening?

During this 10 minute recess, U.S. Rep. Nydia Valezquez, a New Yorker, an ardent Sotomayor supporter is hanging out by herself in the audience, gazing at a row of purses left behind next to her.

Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican Senator, is staring into space. Orrin Hatch, a former chairman of this committee, is chatting up staffers.

Let me tell you: Some Congressional members would never dare be seen talking to staff during their official duties. (Power meetings only!) Nice to see Orrin Hatch isn't caught up in such nonsense.

Blog at 8:33 a.m.
As Judge Sotomayor re-entered the room to resume today's hearings, she was escorted by a solid looking security detail. Two guys as large as bouncers at a biker's bar walked her to the chair. Security of Supreme Court Justices is tight. So too, apparently, is security for nominees.

Just before the hearinng resumed, I caught a glimpse of Al Franken sitting in a Republican chair talking with Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn. I couldn't hear the connversation, but I was struck by the image. Cornyn is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign body focused on defeating Democratic Senate candidates. Franken is a Democrat who just survived a long, painful, expensive campaign for Senate. You'd think they'd be enemies. A dozen photographers rushed over to capture pictures of the exchange between Franken and Cornyn.

Both men were smiling throughout. Hey, Sen. Franken likely knows how to tell a joke and spin a yarn.

Blog at 8:51 a.m.
Judge Sotomayor's mother is sitting quietly, without animation, through these hearings. She's wearing a jet-black suit and pink blouse. She's stoic. She's not showing any frustration or expression on her face. She's shifting her focus quickly back-and-forth between her daughter and Sen. Orrin Hatch, who's now questioning.

Newspaper alert! Sen. Tom Coburn has two periodicals near his right elbow. (editions of CQ Today and Congress Daily, two wonkish, policy-focused daily newspapers on Capitol Hill) Might he eventually begin reading the papers if the proceedings grow boring?

Blog at 8:55 a.m.
My colleague Lenny Smith has a great vantage point for today's hearing. He's standing by on thet second level of the hearing room, nearest the videographers. (This hearing room is a marvel. Three stories tall, with full-fledged broadcast booths and photographer grandstands on its 2nd and 3rd levels. It is -- for lack of a better phrase -- the made-for-TV hearing room on Capitol Hill)

Lenny has noticed that Texas Senator John Cornyn is wearing his traditional, old-school cowboy boots. The table blocks the view of the boots from the cameras.

Lenny reports some "note-passing" between Arizona Republican Jon Kyl and South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham.

Blog at 8:59 a.m.
How do Senators know when their time for questioning has expired?

Beneath each microphone is a tiny, digital clock. Red digits on black background (similar to many alarm clocks). It counts down from 30:00, to 29:59, to 29:58, ultimately to 0:00.

If you notice Senators cut off Judge Sotomayor mid-sentence, it's possible the Senators are trying to conserve their 30 minutes.

Blog at 9:05 a.m.
Orrin Hatch just wrapped up his questioning by saying "thank you" to the judge. Then, he added, "I've enjoyed this little bit of time we've had together." Some laughter in the room. Not a bad thing to say, just unexpected.f

Dianne Feinstein is next. Sen. Feinstein is a veteran member of the U.S. Senate and a senior member of this panel. Accordingly, she's been granted an early opportunity to question Sotomayor.

Feinstein, former mayor of San Francisco and often-rumored candidate for governor of California, has been present in her seat nearly hroughout today's proceedings. Good eye contact. Good opening line. To Judge Sotomayor, Feinstein said, "If there's a class for judicial temperament, you get an A++."

Feinstein appears immediately to be among the most colorful and energized of Sotomayor's supporters here.

Blog at 9:15 a.m.
There's a media relations ballet underway behind-the-scenes here.

As Senator Feinstein works through her questions for Sonia Sotomayor, the Senator's press staff is busy working reporters. They're arranging interviews and photos. They're ready to the Senator out to media as soon as her questioning is done. We're gonna line up for an interview with the Senator, to get her thoughts on whether the Judge's confirmation is now certain.

Chairman Pat Leahy hustled over to a press stakeout during the 10 minute recess last hour to share his thoughts on the proceedings so far.

Blog at 9:30 a.m.
More spin. More rebuttals.

Press staffs are frantically releasing press releases about today's hearings, even as the hearigs roll on.

Just got a statement from the Senate Judicary Committee's Democratic staff. It reads, "Some Republicans have suggested that Judge Sotomayor would limit individuals' 2nd Amendment right to own guns. Judge Sotomayor made clear today that she was faithfully applied (prior cases) and would approach future cases applying the 2nd Amendment to the states with an open mind."

Senators are about to recess this hearing until 2pm eastern time. Senators have regularly scheduled Tuesday afternoon lunches with members of their party. It's a long, storied tradition that isn't to be trifled with (even for a Supreme Court nominee's confirmationn hearing) So, they're all headed off to their lunches.

Wonder what they're gonna be talking about while they eat?!?!?

I'm standing down this blog till tomorrow morning. We're getting reactionn from Senators -- and we're sifting through the hours of testimony to find you the surprises, highlights and memorable moments. Be sure to watch for our coverage from inside the hearing room beginning tonight at 5pm. On TV, that is. Have a great afternoon!

Day 1

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Blog at 6:16 a.m.
The U.S. Senate begins confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor at 10am. It’s expected to be the largest national story of the day here in Washington. Literally, hundreds of reporters have stuffed themselves in and around the Senate's regal hearing room in the Hart Senate Building across the street from the Capitol.

Here's my first impression: No matter how difficult the questioning, you aren't likely to see Judge Sotomayor sweat. It's meat-lockerish in here. The air conditioning is cranked so high, I'd be surprised if it were 65 degrees in here. Kind of important - considering everyone's wearing a suit and sitting beneath a large bank of bright TV lights.

I snuck around the room a bit a few moments ago. There are namecards sitting on the chairs behind Judge Sotomayor's seat. The seats are reserved for prominent members of Congress and other officials. Among them: New York Congressman Jose Serrano and Congresswoman Nydia Valezquez. Their faces will remain in view of the TV cameras as Sotomayor gives her opening remarks.

Blog at 6:23 a.m.
This is a huge day for Supreme Court watchers. This is a huge day for Judge Sotomayor.

But she's gonna be spending a lot of time on this huge day at a tiny little seat!

Her witness table is a four feet wide. A black felt tablecloth covers it. She has one narrow microphone, a tiny digital clock (to alert her about the time remaining in each speaker's remarks) and a white nameplate showing her name and title.

Here's what you can't see on TV: There's a foot stool beneath her table. You'll recall Judge Sotomayor fractured her ankle in recent weeks. She's still nursing a terrible injury.

I'm eager to see how she moves when she makes her grand entrance here in about 30 minutes.

Blog at 6:29 a.m.
Photographers are elbowing for position near the witness table. The Supreme Court operates behind closed doors or in a chamber devoid of cameras. Images of its nine justices are difficult to get! This opportunity to photograph a nominee is priceless. These images will be used for years, if not generations.

This hearing room is uniquely equipped for large scale events. It's three stories high. There are balconies, adorned with wood paneling, on the 2nd and 3rd levels. TV cameras have aligned the 2nd level balcony to capturue moving images of today's proceedings.

The 3rd level of the room includes traditional "booths", with retractable windows. These are on-site TV studios. A press box, if you will. Directly above and behind Judge Sotomayor are four press boxes, utilized by four television networks. CSPAN, FOX and NBC are using them.

Blog at 6:44 a.m.
It feels like the buffet line at a crowded party. Or, if you will, the dance floor, at a jam packed club. The crowd filling this hearing room is large and unfocused. It's a fight to get around the room. In fact, a crowd of about 100 is milling about the dais where Senators will sit. Hundreds more are gathered outside.

Despite that, this is a very controlled environment.

Capitol police surround the room. Each carrying a firearm and radio, as far as I can see. Press, myself included, are stuffed onto six large, narrow tables at the back of the room. We're facing the side walls, not the witness or the hearing.

No drinks are allowed in the room. You can only imagine the faces on the people who are being ordered to dump their venti lattes in the trash at the door.

There's likely some concern about protestors and props. We'll see how police handle it.

Blog at 6:57 a.m.
Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch entered through a back hallway. Doing so, he avoided a high-profile walk past the cameas.

Unclear how large a role Sen. Hatch is willing to play today.

FYI - last week, he was overseeing a much different hearing. About the pros and cons of a college footbal playoff system!

Blog at 7 a.m.
Senators are walking over to greet and shake hands with Judge Sotomayor.

Felt very staged. Senator Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on this committee, stood idly for a minute waiting in line to shake hands -- he glanced at his watch and surveyed the crowd.

FYI - no questions and answers at today's hearing. Chairman Pat Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, confirmed today's proceedings will be filled with opening statements.

Blog at 7:05 a.m.
A surprise. We do not have perfect attendance among the Senators here. We're still waiting on Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn. You won't see that on TV. The Senate is judicious with where it allows cameras to set up.

All others have found their seats at the Senate table.

Patrick Leahy, the Vermont Democrat, is beginning proceedings with his remarks. He confirmed, formally, that we've begun confirmation hearings for a nominee of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Leahy's a familiar face. He's been here three decades. He's sat on the Judiciary Committee during every Supreme Court confirmation hearing since Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981.

Blog at 7:08 a.m.
Surveying the room, I notice Arlen Specter has yet to arrive. His is one of the few empty seats in the room right now.

Specter will sit next to the newest of U.S. Senators, Minnesota's Al Franken, at the Democrats' dais.

Specter's role in these hearings is expected to be a storyline itself. He was once Republican chairman of this committee, managing the confirmations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito during the Bush Administration.

His recent, controversial party switch caused him to be demoted to the standing of junior member of the Committee for the Democratic party.

Specter told me last week he'll nevertheless "be effective" during these proceedings.

Blog at 7:22 a.m.
The room fell silent as Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions made his remarks. Sessions is gonna be the highest proflile opposition Sotomayor faces. He's the top Republican on the Sente Judiciary Committee.

Sessions, 62, is speaking to a large GOP base which remains passionate about the federal judiciary.

Sessions is a third-term Senator with a background in questioning witnesses -- he's a former federal prosecutor.

He's reading his opening statement from a set of papers beneath his microphone. His eye contact with the witness is limited.

As Sessions speaks, his staff is circulating a thick (as thick as a small phonebook) stack of Judge Sotomayor's speeches. One of which includes a reference to the federal court system as a policy maker. Might sound dry - but for federal legislators, court watchers and political activists that's a HUGE deal.

Blog at 7:39 a.m.
This is like a fantasy camp for political speech writers

Each Senator is allowed 10 minutes to provide opening remarks. So far, each Senator is using *ALL* ten minutes of his time.

Because these confirmation hearings are a high-profile, nationally-televised process, Senators are relishing the platform upon which to speak.

Each Senator is equipped with a pre-written remarks to read. And, yup, each is reading those pre-written remarks word-for-word. That eliminates the possibility of brevity, efficiency, color, candor or improvisation.

Senator Orrin Hatch, who last week oversaw a hearing on college football's championship system, is reading right now.

It's a great day for speechwriters.

Blog at 7:42 a.m.
California Senator Dianne Feinstein, the most senior woman on the committee, just began here remarks by congratulating Judge Sotomayor, calling her "a very special woman who achieved respect and admiration."

Feinstein then called Sotomayor "well qualified", for having taken part in 3,000 appeals during her career on the federal bench.

Feinstein told reporters last week that she'll kick back at Republicans who imply Sotomayor is an inappropriately "activist" judge. Feinstein represents a massive hispanic constituency in her home state of California. This is a high-profile endeavour for the Senator, who rarely shies away from high-profile events.

Blog at 7:47 a.m.
It was just a matter of time.

A protestor just screamed "Senator, what about abortion?!", as Senator Feinstein read her opening remarrks. He was loud, he was unfazed by calls from the Chairman of the committee, Patrick Leahy, to have the protestor immediatetly removed.

Capitol police escorted him outside the hearing room. I can still hear the protestor hollering out in the hallway. The walls to the hearing room aren't as thick as one would think.

Here's the kicker: Feinstein has, coincidentally, begun talking about the abortion issue, including the historic Planned Parenthood v. Casey case from the 1990s.

We're told Sotomayor has never directly ruled on abortion. Might this become a key issue for Democratic Senators during questioning later this week?

Blog at 7:58 a.m.
This must be fatiguing for a nominee.

Sonia Sotomayor is sitting attentively (straight up in her seat), making direct eye-contact with each Senator and avoiding yawns.

She will need to be a "good listener" for at least two or three hours today. Kinda like an endless job interview, in which you're always "on."

Judge Sotomayor is doing so diligently so far. I've yet to see her become inattentive.

Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, is reading his opening remarks now. Still - one hour into this session - I've yet to see anyone speak off-the-cuff.

Blog at 8:16 a.m.
A rare sight. A U.S. Senator in shirtsleeves. Jon Kyl, a top-ranking Republican from Arizona, is speaking now, sans suitcoat.

Hard to believe he can stand the cold temperature in here without one.

Kyl is the #2 Republican in the U.S. Senate. He serves as Minority Whip. It's unlikely there'll be any strong effort to oppose Judge Sotomayor here, without Kyl as part of it.

Kyl just indicated which direction he's leaning. He said, "Sotomayor endorses the view that gender and ethnic-based biases should guider her as she issues judicial opinions. Judge Sotomayor endorsed the idea that American judges should use good ideas found in foreign law. The laws and practices of other nations are irrelevant."

Kyl voted against Sotomayor during her confirmation for a lower court judgeship in 1995.

Blog at 8:21 a.m.
The people sitting behind Judge Sotomayor were likely strategically chosen. Administration and Congressional supporters of the judge knew that the people seated in those chairs would be visible on camera.

The very front row of seats were reserved for "ADMINSTRATION" officials, according to the namecards I saw. You'll notice one man in uniform. You'll notice a few members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Press and unreserved chairs are all out of the vantage point of the network cameras. No visual detail was overlooked or left for chance.

Blog at 8:22 a.m.
Two more Senators will provide opening remarks. The Committee will then take a recess.

Senator Lindsay Graham just said, "Unless you have a complete meltdown, you're gonna be confirmed." It illicited a large round of laughter in the heraing room. Graham said "I don't know what I'm gonna do yet", indicating his vote is still undetermined.

Graham is the first person here today to speak, rather than read.

After the break, other Senators will offer their opening remarks. Sotomayor's two home state Senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand will then offer a formal "introduction" of Sotomayor. Then -- finally, after weeks of waiting -- we get to hear from the judge! Likely in about an hour or two.

Blog at 8:38 a.m.
Looks like previous predictions were true.

No questions; no answers from Judge Sotomayor before tomorrow. Lots of people in this hearing room were hoping things would speed ahead of schedule.

Just opening statements from Senators and Judge Sotomayor today. I'm told she'll likely begin speaking at 1:30pm.

Ben Cardin, the junior Senator from Maryland, just began speaking. He just read from his notes, "Sotomayor will prove a valuable addition to our nation's highest court."

All is going as expected. No Democratic defections detected.

Blog at 8:56 a.m.
During a brief recess, one Senate Republican quickly convened a press conference. Alabama's Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told a group of reporters "The hearings are going well", but that he's troubled by Judge Sotomayor's record and by the standards then-Senator Obama used when deciding on judges in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

My scorecard: 2 hours, 10 Senators' speeches, 1 press conference, 0 words of consquence from the star of the show: Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

John Cornyn speaks next. He's a GOP Senator from Texas.

Blog at 9:05 a.m.
They come, they speak, they leave.

Senators who've already spoken at today's hearing are quickly deparrting. They aren't hanging behind to listen.

Chuck Schumer, Herb Kohl, Dianne Feinstein and Russ Feingold have all left the room. It's a common practice among members of Congress: Once you've spoken; no need to stay.

But this isn't a common hearing. So some of us are surprised by the number of empty chairs at the dais.

Blog at 9:21 a.m.
Spanish language media are well deployed here.

Telemundo has a prized pressbox suite above the heads of the Democratic Senators here in this Hart Building hearing room. They're conducting interviews, en espanol, with analysts and New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, who's bilingual.

The historic significance of this nomination is obvious, and not all hidden inside this hearing room.

The final Republican to speak today, Oklahoma's Tom Coburn, is speaking now. He just said, "I thought this was your hearing, not Justice Roberts hearing." A firm slap at Senators who've criticized John Roberts during their opening remarks.

Blog at 9:28 a.m.
TWEETs.

Obviously, they're not doing it *personally*. But the Senators sitting here today are TWITTERING during today's proceedings.

John Cornyn just sent out a link to a written version of his opening statement through TWITTER. Here's the thing: He sent it out *while* he was speaking into his microphone!

It's no secret in this city, staffers often manage their bosses' TWITTER and FACEBOOK accounts. They even write in the Senators' voices, ghost-writing, if you will.

I'm not sure how Sen. Cornyn's staffers operate, but it's clear that John Cornyn doesn't TWEET every TWEET himself.

Blog at 9:36 a.m.
Recess is coming.

That sounds a lot more fun than it is. That sounds a lot more fun if you're in elementary school and the weather is nice outside.

This committee hearing is going to take a break, a recess, until 2pm. Why? Likely so Senators -- those still here! -- can tend to business and grab a big, fat sandwich and bean soup. (for reasons that escape me, bean soup is a particularly storied, passionate tradition for U.S. Senators. If you ever visit Washington, stop by a Senate office building, go to the cafeteria and buy a bean soup. It's good. It's cheap. It's tradition)

Judge Sotomayor is expected to speak after the break. Her opening remarks have yet to be distributed to us. So, there's a little anticipation in the room right now.

By the way, one more protestor just hollered and screamed and was carried out by Capitol police officers. He was wearing a red polo shirt. He screamed something I couldn't discern. But he was loud. And he's gone now.

We'll stand down from our blog for now.

Watch our coverage of today's behind-the-scenes action, the Senators' most unexpected remarks and the judge's historic opening statement -- beginning tonight at 5pm. On TV, that is!

Have a great afternoon.