Richard Cohen writes:

With the nose of a trained columnist, I detect the whiff of elitism-cum-racism emanating from the nominationof Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. The whiff does not come – Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrichnotwithstanding — from Sotomayor’s own statements; nor does it come from her controversial decision upholding race-based affirmative action. It comes, instead, from the general expression of wow about her background. Imagine, someone from the projects is a success!

Does this make Barack Obama elitist? He’s the first person who told me about the fact she lived in public housing. In his speech announcing Sotomayor’s nomination to the Court, Obama said:

But as impressive and meaningful as Judge Sotomayor’s sterling credentials in the law is her own extraordinary journey. Born in the South Bronx, she was raised in a housing project not far from Yankee Stadium, making her a lifelong Yankee’s fan. I hope this will not disqualify her — (laughter) — in the eyes of the New Englanders in the Senate.