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Judging Sonia Sotomayor; Iraqi Insurgents Targets Religious Groups; President Obama Visits Ghana

Aired July 13, 2009 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. It's Monday, July 13th, I'm Heidi Collins, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM. An awful lot going on today obviously. All eyes are on Capitol Hill this morning for a historic hearing, in fact, where Judge Sonia Sotomayor is trying to become the very first Latino on the U.S. Supreme Court. That live testimony begins in just one hour. Of course, we will be covering it very closely for you.

Also this hour, the Pentagon has a new plan to fight militants in Afghanistan and it could actually mean more U.S. boots on the ground. So we'll watch that story as well.

Also, an emotional family reaction to the murder of a couple who had adopted a dozen special needs children.

This morning on Capitol Hill, the judge makes her case. It is likely to be a long week, too, with lots of questions on her past rulings and exactly how she intends to weigh her new decisions.

CNN's Brianna Keilar is live on Capitol Hill now in the very room where the Senate confirmation hearings will begin in about an hour.

So, Brianna, set the scene for us.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, as you can see, still photographers already getting ready here, staking out their spot for that scrum that will come as Sonia Sotomayor comes into this hearing room.

But this is where it's all going to start. This seat here where Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will give his opening statement. He is, of course, a supporter of Sonia Sotomayor, but will paying a lot of attention to what the man who sits here says.

This is Jeff Sessions, top Republican on the committee, and he will be laying the ground work for some of the objections that we expect Republicans will be raising today and over the next few days.

And this right here is the seat, the hot seat where Sonia Sotomayor today in her opening statement is expected to talk a lot about her own personal story, of course, which began as a child growing up in a housing project in the south Bronx and she'll also be talking about, Heidi, about the type of justice she would be if confirmed to the Supreme Court. COLLINS: Absolutely. We know that there are going to be concerns that Republicans will raise. Go ahead, if you would, Brianna, and just highlight what they will be once again.

KEILAR: Well, generally speaking, Republicans have said they're concerned that Sotomayor's opinions may color her decisions from the bench. So you may hear some of those concerns raised today about specific issues when they question her tomorrow, wanting to know her general views on things like affirmative action, abortion, gun rights.

Not that we're going to get a clear answer, but specifically there are likely to be some specific targets, Heidi. For instance her decision as an appeals court judge where she ruled against white firefighters in New Haven, Connecticut.

COLLINS: Right.

KEILAR: They were claiming reverse discrimination. That's a decision that was recently reversed by the Supreme Court. And we're also expecting some of those comments that she's made off the bench to come into question.

Of course, Heidi, the one where she said that she would hope more often than not a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would come to a better conclusion than a white male. Certainly we expect that to be an issue.

COLLINS: Yes, well, we also know that personally, Sonia Sotomayor has gone through some things lately. Namely a physical injury, this fractured ankle that she had or that she got right after being nominated. And I've seen this special little device that they have for her underneath where she'll be sitting today.

KEILAR: Yes. And we're going show that to you. So she fractured her ankle about a week after being nominated. And this is what is under this table right here. It is kind of a foot stool in that way, jerry rigged, with what looks like a cushion and a binder and part of what appears to be a foot stool and some tape here keeping it all together.

But she's going to be here for hours and hours today, hours and hours, throughout these days this week. And so I guess an attempt here to make her feel somewhat more...

COLLINS: Yes.

KEILAR: ... comfortable because we know she's been uncomfortable.

COLLINS: There is no doubt that an orthopedic surgeon has been consulted to take such a high-tech device like that, huh?

KEILAR: I can't say for sure or not, but I suspect not.

COLLINS: Yes, maybe not. All right. Brianna Keilar, sure do appreciate that, though, walk through. Obviously, this is all going to begin very, very shortly here. We'll have everything for everybody on CNN. We'll check back with you a little bit later on, as well. So what would you ask Sonia Sotomayor if you had the chance? We're just curious about that. Let us know by adding your comments on my blog. Just go to CNN.com/heidi and we'll read some of your comments coming up a little bit later on in the show.

And again, we will have live coverage of the Sotomayor confirmation hearing beginning at the top of the hour. You can see it here on CNN. Or if you are away from your TV and you can't find one anywhere, just go to CNN.com. We'll have all of the latest information on the proceedings for you there, as well.

The president gets back to domestic business this week after spending the last week overseas. And today, President Obama begins the morning with his usual daily briefings from senior and economic advisers.

At 1:15 this afternoon, he's going to be meeting with labor leaders for a closed door session in the Roosevelt room. And a little bit later, he welcomes the Columbus Crew soccer team to the Rose Garden. And at 4:00 p.m., he is making remarks at the Urban and Metropolitan Policy Roundtable. So we'll be watching the president's movement as well today.

Meanwhile, investigating interrogation practices during the Bush administration. President Obama says the nation needs to look forward, not back. But Attorney General Eric Holder says not so fast. Sources are telling us now the nation's top attorney is leaning toward appointing a prosecutor to look into Bush era harsh interrogation techniques.

And according to a Justice Department official, Holder could decide whether to begin a criminal probe within the next few weeks. So if the investigation moves forward, it will only look into those who may have gone beyond the Justice Department's legal guidelines for interrogations during the Bush era.

And some congressional Democrats want another Bush era probe, this one puts the spotlight on former vice president, Dick Cheney. Did he order the CIA to hide a secret counterterrorism program from Congress?

Our Jim Acosta has the details on that now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a closed door hearing late last month, CIA Director Leon Panetta told the Senate Intelligence Committee he had just terminated a secret counterterrorism program. So sensitive, the panel was told that during the Bush administration, former vice president Dick Cheney himself had ordered the CIA to conceal it from key members of Congress who hear top secret briefings. The so-called Gang of 8.

SEN. DIANE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: He did brief us. And in the course of the briefing, he did say, because I believe somebody asked a question as to why it was never reported to us, that the vice president had given the directive that the program not be reported to the Congress. ACOSTA: The matter has once again put Cheney at the center of a heated debate. On the limits of White House powers.

SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: There is a requirement for disclosure. It has to be done in an appropriate way so it doesn't jeopardize our national security. But to have a massive program that is concealed from the leaders in Congress is not only inappropriate, it could be illegal.

SEN. JON KYL (R), ARIZONA: To somehow suggest it might have been improper for the president or the vice president to keep an important program secret, I mean, that happens every day.

ACOSTA: Little is known about the secret program, only that it was initiated during the 9/11 attacks and that it may never have been fully operational. Former Cheney counselor and CNN contributor Mary Matalin accused the Obama White House of disclosing the program out of pure politics.

MARY MATALIN, FMR. CHENEY COUNSELOR: Every time they get in trouble, which the president's poll numbers are slipping and his health care and global warming initiatives are under assault, they dredge up a Darth Vader story.

ACOSTA: But it's a story that comes as Attorney General Eric Holder just might name a prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration's harsh interrogation techniques used on terrorism suspects. Something Republicans would rather avoid.

SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ARIZONA: So the question is, did they go too far in some of these areas? I hope that we don't feel -- the attorney general doesn't feel a need to go back into it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: And Jim Acosta joining us now live from Washington.

So, Jim, what's Congress going to be doing about this?

ACOSTA: Well, Heidi, they were hearing calls from Democrats for an investigation, how far that goes, we'll have to see. But members of Congress are looking at ways to expand the number of members in the Congress who were told about these top secret briefings.

Some are talking about one proposal that would expand the number of lawmakers from that gang of 8 to a gang of 40, and right now the White House is pretty cool to that idea. And Heidi, as you're reading that agenda for the president earlier this morning, I was thinking, you know, this is one item on the agenda that the Obama administration would rather not deal with, or at least those inside the White House.

As we've heard the president say he does not want to look back. But as these revelations keep coming out, the attorney general seems to be moving toward some sort of investigation of all of this. We'll have to wait and see. He hasn't made a final decision on that, but as you mentioned, sources -- at least one source telling CNN he's leaning toward that.

COLLINS: Yes. All right. Well, we will continue to follow that one alongside you. Jim Acosta for us this morning. Thank you, Jim.

ACOSTA: You bet.

COLLINS: A new workweek is getting underway now. But in southern Ohio, some people are still cleaning up from the weekend. In Pike County, five people were hurt when a tornado through the town of Buchanan. At least three mobile homes were destroyed.

And Reynolds Wolf is standing by for us this morning to tell us a little bit more about that and the week ahead.

Good morning to you, Reynolds.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WOLF: Heidi, as far as the space shuttle is concerned, looks like a 60 percent chance of scattered showers right through part of central part, possibly some thunderstorms. So it looks like once again successful liftoff today or any takeoff at all is just going to be a coin toss. Let's send it back to you.

COLLINS: Yes. All right. Well, let us know if that changes. Reynolds Wolf, appreciate it.

WOLF: You bet.

COLLINS: Thank you.

A new plan for Afghanistan. The general in charge says he may need even more U.S. troops. And that could mean billions more in spending.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A new plan to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Pentagon says it may want Afghanistan to double the size of its army, but that could end up costing billions in U.S. funding and would probably even mean more U.S. troops would be needed.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joining me now to talk more about this.

So, Barbara, are we talking about training here? There would need to be more training that would need to be done, I imagine, in order to get the Afghanistan troops up to speed.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, that pretty much sums it up, Heidi. In fact, you know, the new commanding general in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has been conducting this assessment of what's going on in the country and what's really needed to turn things around there.

Senior U.S. military officials very familiar with his thinking tell us he is now set to recommend, in fact, a doubling of the size of the Afghan army. It's set to grow to 134,000, he may want to double it beyond that, but what does that mean? It may, may, in fact mean, Heidi, more U.S. troops to work as trainers and billions of dollars in additional U.S. spending. Heidi?

COLLINS: As we learn about these things, what is the reaction seem to be?

STARR: Well, cautious to say the least.

COLLINS: Yes.

STARR: Because first they have to finish getting some of those troop reductions in Iraq in order to basically free up the troops to go. They have to find the money, they have to really get strategy together, and spell out to Congress how they hope to make this work.

The goal, of course, is to put an Afghan face on the war and that's why there's so much concern about sending in even more U.S. troops, Defense Secretary Gates has been very cautious about all of that, not wanting to put too much of a U.S. foreign occupation on it, if you will.

It -- you know it was once called the forgotten war. Right now folks are referring to it as the fastest growing war. Heidi?

COLLINS: Yes. Yes. I imagine they are. All right, Barbara Starr, appreciate that. Live from the Pentagon this morning.

Security officials are looking now into some disturbing allegations surrounding a CIA ally in Afghanistan. They say the Afghan warlord may be responsible for killing hundreds of Taliban POWs and the CIA resisted efforts to investigate him.

President Obama discussed the situation with Anderson Cooper in an exclusive interview during his trip to Ghana.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Now it seems clear that the Bush administration resisted efforts to pursue investigations of an Afghan warlord named General Dostum, who was on the CIA payroll.

It's now come out there were hundreds of Taliban prisoners under his care who got killed.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Right.

COOPER: Some were suffocated in a steel container, others shot, possibly buried in mass graves. Would you support -- would you call for an investigation into possible war crimes in Afghanistan?

OBAMA: Yes, the indications this had not been properly was investigated just recently was brought to my attention. So what I've asked my national security team to do is to collect the facts for me that are known. And we'll probably make a decision in terms of how to approach it once we have all of the facts together. COOPER: But you wouldn't resist categorically an investigation?

OBAMA: I think that, you know, there are responsibilities that all nations have even in war. And if it appears that our conduct in some way supported violations of the laws of war, then I think that we have to know about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Thousands of Taliban prisoners surrendered to the U.S. backed northern alliance in late 2001.

In fact, you can catch the entire interview with Anderson Cooper and President Barack Obama at 10:00 p.m. tonight right here on CNN.

An international human rights group is calling for an investigation now into the death of an Iranian teenager during last month's election protest in Tehran. The 19-year-old was apparently shot dead during the June 15th rally, but his parents were not told until 26 days later.

The Iranian government officials could not be reached for comment on the story. The teenager's funeral yesterday was attended by more than 300 mourners. Some of them were people the family did not know who were there out of political sympathy.

New arrests in a murder case that is both shocking and heart breaking. Who could have killed the parents of 16 children? Police say they have uncovered details now that play out like a movie script.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: New developments today in the murder of a couple that has shaken a small Florida community. We just got reaction from the dead woman's daughter as we await today's court hearing for two suspects.

CNN's David Mattingly joining us now live from Pensacola, Florida with details on this.

David, it's really a devastating story.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is. We have three men in custody, two of them accused in this double murder, one accused of tampering with evidence. We're hearing from the family for the first time today, hearing about their pain and sorrow, and of the legacy left behind by the Byrd couple -- by the Billings couple as they adopted a dozen children with special needs over the years. A lot of questions about what their future holds and we heard this today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHLEY MARCUM, DAUGHTER OF MELANIE BILLINGS: We'd like to start by thanking everyone for their support, especially the Escambia County Sheriff's Department and the surrounding community. Our family cannot begin to find the words to express the pain and disbelief that we are in. To know there are people capable of this type of violence and people with this magnitude of hate in their lives is sickening. Our mom and dad only had love in their lives. Since the day they met 19 years ago, they knew they were soul mates. They chose a life that many people did not understand. Together they decided to adopt a child, which turned into the adopting of many children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: The dozen children they have adopted are being kept together and being cared for by family and that will be their future, being in the love and care of family for the rest of their lives. Heidi?

COLLINS: All right. CNN's David Mattingly for us live from Pensacola, Florida this morning.

Thank you, David.

One of three dangerous inmates who escaped from the Indiana State Prison has been caught in Michigan. Two convicted murderers and a third inmate serving time for rape broke out of the prison in Michigan City, Indiana about 24 hours ago.

A prison spokesman says the men escaped by somehow getting passed bars in tunnels under the prison grounds.

And now for the latest on the Illinois cemetery where bodies were dug out and dumped. At a vigil across from the cemetery today, the state controller says he'll file papers this week to take the cemetery from the owner. And the Reverend Jesse Jackson called for an investigation into all of the cemeteries run by the company.

The Burr Oaks Cemetery is now a crime scene and will be closed to families for a few more days. Four cemetery employees are accused of digging up and dumping hundreds of bodies in a scheme to resell plots.

Still ahead this morning, CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, his latest book takes us inside the secret world of the Supreme Court justices. So what lies ahead for Sonia Sotomayor?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins.

COLLINS: On Wall Street this morning, we're looking at a fairly quiet open, but investors are buckling their seat belts for what is sure to be a busy week ahead.

Stephanie Elam is at the New York Stock Exchange with a look at the day's market action.

Hey there, Stephanie.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi, no lazy days of summer for us down here on Wall Street. That's for sure. Stocks are set for a modestly higher opening this morning, following an uneventful into July week. But do keep in mind that the Dow has now been on a slide for four weeks in a row. The focus this week, shifting to corporate earnings season, a long list of firms are slated to release their quarterly report cards including financial giants Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase.

Banks have been among the hardest hit companies since the recession gain in late 2007 as investments and loan losses piled up. In fact, taking a look at these big financial companies, only Goldman is anticipating to give truly stellar results.

Tech companies including Intel, Google, and IBM are also set to report their numbers. Profits at S&P 500 companies are expected to have declined 36 percent in the second quarter versus a year ago.

In addition to earnings, it will be a busy week for economic data. A pair of readings on inflation along with reports on retail sales and housing starts are slated for release. So we'll be keeping our eyes on all of that in the early going here, Heidi, but overall, everyone's going to be taking a look at what's going to happen with earnings reports for sure.

COLLINS: All right, Stephanie. We'll be watching closely, thank you.

ELAM: Yes. Thanks.

COLLINS: The worldwide recession is still keeping prices down at the corner gas station, but according to the industry analysts, the Lumberg Survey, the national average fell about a dime a gallon over the past two weeks. The new average is about $2.56 a gallon. One year ago, prices were at a record high, I'm sure you remember that. $4.11 a gallon.

In California, top lawmakers say they may be nearing a deal on the state's crippling budget crisis. Over the weekend, both parties met behind closed doors, they're trying to find ways to close a budget shortfall of more than $26 billion.

For two weeks, the state has been operating without cash and has doled out IOUs to criminals and suppliers. State workers have also been told to take off three days a month without pay.

That as we hear the opening bell this morning. That's again, Monday, July 13th, as we've been talking all morning long here. Expected to be kind of a lazy day, if you will, this Monday. Gearing up for a busy end to the week. So we'll keep our eye on those numbers as we always do right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

All eyes are on Capitol Hill this morning. The Senate confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. It is due to get underway at the top of the hour. Barring any huge stumbles, President Obama's nominee is expected to win the job. Democrats hold a comfortable majority on the Judiciary Committee and in the Senate.

But she does have some critics. The leading Republican on the committee, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, says Sotomayor is outside the mainstream of legal thinking. If confirmed, Sotomayor would become the first Latina justice.

While the spotlight will be focussed on Sonia Sotomayor, the background of the senators themselves also deserve some illumination. One lawmaker is better known for his comedy career, while another is himself a former federal court nominee.

Here now with a closer look, CNN's senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Heidi, good to see you. How are you?

COLLINS: I'm great. Boy, you have all the juice this morning because there are some really great stories out there about who the players are going to be. Of course we are mentioning Al Franken who is a total newcomer, right?

TOOBIN: We've got a great cast of characters. As the committee has 12 Democrats and 7 Republicans, and as you pointed out, I mean, there are many terrific stories. One of them is the senior Republican Jeff Sessions. Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, now the top Republican on the committee way back in -- here we go, whoa, come back here.

He was the attorney general of Alabama. And he was nominated to be a federal district court judge himself. He was rejected by this committee. Now he's the top Republican.

Another big story on the committee is -- as you mentioned, where is he? The junior member of the committee.

COLLINS: The most junior, like 100 out of 100, right?

(CROSSTALK)

TOOBIN: Al Franken who is, this is going to be his first public act as a senator. Another interesting person to watch is Orrin Hatch. Orrin Hatch was the chairman of the committee for a long time, the Utah Republican. But here's something interesting, come back. He voted for -- when Sonia Sotomayor was nominated to the Appeals Court judge, he was a supporter of Sotomayor. Now will he support her for the Supreme Court? Interesting question to watch.

COLLINS: Yes. Now, there's another one, too, that I think is really interesting, and that's Arlen Specter. I mean, he has chaired many of these committees, correct? And now he's kind of going to be sitting there in the background because he switched parties and they stripped him of some of that power, most of it, anyway. So he may be sitting there going -- you know, trying to help.

TOOBIN: He was the chairman of the committee when Chief Justice Roberts was confirmed, when Justice Alito was confirmed. Now, he's a junior Democrat on the committee. Again, we'll see how he responds to that role. COLLINS: Yes. Maybe later, he will consult him on the proceedings. You never know.

Let's talk, if we can, Jeffrey, about the cases that are going to be discussed. Obviously, we know this New Haven firefighters case. This reverse discrimination will likely be brought up.

TOOBIN: Absolutely. You know, we have a very extensive file here on all of Judge Sotomayor's rulings as a district court and circuit court judge. And as you pointed out, Ricci Vs DeStefano. This was the case involving reverse discrimination claim by the white firefighters, and, of course, just last month, the Supreme Court ruled against Sotomayor's position, and 5 to 4 said that these firefighters had been victims of reverse discrimination. The four dissenters were Justice Breyer, Justice Ginsburg, Justice Souter and Justice Stevens. Now, of course, it is Justice Souter whom Judge Sotomayor would be replacing. So the question is, what difference would her appointment make?

On this case, probably not much, but that's one of the things we're going to be watching today.

COLLINS: Yes. We are going to be watching it all. It could be very interesting, just the dynamic of everybody.

And what do they have? 30 minutes, right? To talk each one of them?

TOOBIN: Well, today, it's 10-minute opening statements by each senator. And then tomorrow when they start getting into questions, each senator gets 30 minutes to ask questions and, you know, this is the nerd Super Bowl. We are really excited about this, Heidi.

COLLINS: OK. Well, we'll come back to you for the nerd expertise as much as we can.

TOOBIN: All right.

COLLINS: All right. Jeff Toobin, our senior legal analyst.

Thanks so much.

Also, I want to show you this video that we are just getting in in the CNN NEWSROOM. New video this morning. The arrival of the Supreme Court justice nominee for her confirmation hearings, Sonia Sotomayor.

You see her there with the fractured ankle, which we hear is healing, but certainly going to be part of the story today, because they had to make in case you missed it at the top of the show, had to make a special little contraption for me underneath the table that she'll be sitting in order to keep her comfortable with that broken ankle. So she's in the walking cast now and making her way slowly but surely to the chamber where all of this will be happening.

And boy, oh boy, the media attention is intense. We will have live coverage of the Sotomayor confirmation hearing beginning at the top of the hour. You can see it here on CNN. Or if you are away from your TV, just head to cnn.com. Insurgents may have a new target in Iraq. They could be gunning for religious groups. What this means and why the implications could go further to Iraqi borders.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Alleged Nazi camp guard John Demjanjuk was formally charged today with being an accessory to nearly 28,000 murders. The charge is filed in Germany where the retired autoworker from Cleveland was deported in May. A German court ruled earlier this month the 89-year- old Demjanjuk was fit to stand trial. He denies the charges saying he was a prisoner of war and not a camp guard. The trial is expected to begin in the fall.

A United States ambassador narrowly escapes a bomb attack in Iraq. That blast coming just two weeks after U.S. soldiers pulled out of major cities. CNN's Michael Ware explains how the increasing violence could include a new strategy by insurgents to ignite religious conflicts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL WARE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): In Iraq, a road side explosive device detonated near the convoy of recently arrived U.S. ambassador Christopher Hill. U.S. Embassy officials confirm that no embassy personnel were hurt in the attack. However, an investigation is now underway.

The region of southern Iraq where the incident occurred has traditionally been an area controlled by Iranian-backed militias. The attack came on a day when five Christian churches in the capital of Baghdad were also hit in separate bombings. Within a period of three hours on Sunday evening in the capital, the churches were struck by explosive devices which killed four people and wounded 32. They came following a late night explosion at an empty church the evening before.

The attacks are the latest in a long-running series that have targeted Iraq's Christian community. Wolf, no one has exact figures. It's believed that most of Iraq's million strong Christian community has fled the country since the American-led invasion in 2003.

However, one of the witnesses to the most recent series of attacks on the churches said that if they continue, there will surely be no Christians left in Iraq.

Michael ware, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: All right. I want to give you a look now inside the confirmation hearing room for Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Of course, being looked at today and questioned today in order to get this new position. She will be replacing Justice David Souter as you well know. She will also be, if making it through the confirmation process the first Latina on the Supreme Court panel. So you can see the gaggle of media. The photographers -- still photographers will be placed in front of her, and then you can see everyone else gathering around, full cameras and we could go on and on. We, of course, will be covering this live for you and bringing you gavel-to-gavel coverage of it beginning at 10:00 a.m.

So about 20 minutes out now. We already saw the judge making her way into the building. So we will keep our eyes very closely trained on these pictures and bring you the latest as they happen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: President Obama fresh from an historic visit to Ghana. He praised the country for being a beacon of democracy in Africa and talked about hope for its future. But as CNN's Ed Henry tells us, he also did not shy away from addressing the problems plaguing the continent.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A day of extraordinary moments, none more powerful than the first African- American president visiting a former slave fortress with his family.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it was particularly important for Malia and Sasha, who are growing up in such a blessed way, to be reminded that history can take very cruel turns.

HENRY: After touring Cape Coast castle, which the British used as a slave dungeon, President Obama compared its power to his recent stop at German concentration camp.

OBAMA: It is reminiscent of the trip I took to Buchenwald, because it reminds us of the capacity of the human beings to commit great evil.

HENRY: The president used his personal connection to deliver some tough love in a speech to the parliament of Ghana earlier in the day.

OBAMA: We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans. I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. After all, I have the blood of Africa within me and my family's...

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: ...my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story.

HENRY: He chastised African leaders over corruption, saying they can't blame the West for their economies winding up in shambles.

OBAMA: No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top, or the head of the port authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. This -- that is not democracy, that is tyranny. HENRY: Mr. Obama's father was from Kenya and he visited that country as a senator. But he chose Ghana as his first stop in sub-Saharan Africa as president because he wanted to highlight its stable democracy and growing economy.

So, he mixed the stern lectures with some inspiration the day having the feel of Mr. Obama taking last year's campaign to a whole new continent, in shirt sleeves playing with babies, working rope lines, even ending his parliament speech with a familiar slogan.

OBAMA: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease and end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes, you can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Don't miss the "AC 360" special report on CNN tonight, 10:00 Eastern as Anderson Cooper shares his exclusive access to the president on his journey to Africa.

Well, that confirmation hearing we've been talking about all morning just minutes away. After the break, our coverage continues from Washington, D.C. with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The United States Supreme Court, there's an opening right now for a justice on the Supreme Court, and the confirmation for Sonia Sotomayor are about to begin.

We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. These are the historic hearings that are about to begin. We are looking at these live pictures from the Senate heart office building, that's the Senate Judiciary Committee where 19 members will have their opening statement. Each senator today has scheduled ten minutes, no more than ten minutes for an opening statement that will set the tune, sort of what's going on, and that will be followed by introductory remarks by the two U.S. senators from New York state, the home state of the Supreme Court justice nominee. And that will be followed by Sonia Sotomayor. That's the first time, really, we're going to be hearing her in substance following her introduction by the president some six weeks ago.

I'm Wolf Blitzer here at CNN. We've got the Best Political Team on Television getting ready to assess what's going on.

A full, full roster of analyst and reporters -- Gloria Borger is here with us, our senior political analyst, as is Jeff Toobin, the author of the best selling book on the U.S. Supreme, "The Nine." Maria Echaveste, a professor of law, U.C. Berkeley, former Clinton White House official. Alex Castellanos, Republican contributor or strategist here on CNN. Candy Crowley, our senior political correspondent. But let's go over to Jessica Yellin first, our national political correspondent. She's up, upstairs over at the Senate office building, the heart Senate office building, the Judiciary Committee, where these hearings are about to begin.

The chairman of the committee, Jessica, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, he will hit the gable, that will begin the formal process.

But I want you to talk about two interesting pieces of video that we have right now. First of all, her arrival. She's there in the Senate office building right now?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. She has arrived. She will be escorted in by her home state senators, Schumer and Gillibrand at 10:00 a.m. promptly. But, as you know, the judge has injured her foot, and so she is in some pain, we're told, and there's been a makeshift little foot stool set up for her here in the Senate room. And for all the activity that's going on behind me, much of the talk has been about what is she going to do with the foot? There is some draping behind the desk, believe it or not. So if she wears a skirt, everything is hidden and her foot is going to be resting on pillows and some blocks of some books that have been propped up. But that's the colorful side of this story.

The more important side, Wolf, the first time in more than ten years, a Democrat has nominated a judge to the Supreme Court. The makeup of the Judiciary Committee has changed significantly. Senator Biden is no longer here. He is now replaced by Senator Leahy. We will see new senator Al Franken here. He sits on the Judiciary Committee. And both sides are ready for what the Democrats hope will be a dull series of hearings, a dull series of days.

And the Republicans hope to make some very important points to their conservative base about what they think is the judge's activist form of judicial interpretation.

Wolf?

BLITZER: We're going to watch that room to see what time that gavel actually comes down.

Jessica, stand by.

Gloria, this is real history right now. She would be only the third woman ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court and the first Hispanic ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right, for whom English was not her first language. I was reading that in some of our research before. So I think it is an historic moment. And I think it's pretty clear the kinds of questions that you're going to hear republicans asking.

She did make a very controversial remark in a speech that a wise Latina woman would issue a better opinion than a white, male judge. I think you can be sure she's going to be asked about things like that. And liberals are concern themselves about whether she's on their side on issues like abortion and race. They're not quite sure about that.

BLITZER: In terms of fireworks, Jeff Toobin, probably going to be a limited amount, borrowing some really dramatic, unforeseen situation unfolding.

TOOBIN: You know, Arlen Specter, who was chairman of this committee during the Roberts and Alito hearings likes to say that Supreme Court nominees say as little as possible in order to get confirmed. They really do try to duck the hard questions.

Sotomayor is well ahead. There are 12 Democrats and 7 Republicans on the committee. 60 Democrats and 40 Republicans on the -- in the Senate as a whole. This nomination is hers to lose. The less she says from her perspective, the better.

BLITZER: You served in the Clinton White House, Maria. Walk us through what she has been going through. We know she's met with almost every member of the United States Senate.

Here she is. She's walking in right now. We see her walking in with the chairman of the committee, Patrick Leahy. You see these live pictures.

And, is that -- yes, that's Jeff Sessions. He's the ranking Republican, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. They are escorting her in. She's hobbling a little bit. She has that fractured ankle that has become so widely known.

She really has gone through an enormous amount of growing, Maria, over this past six weeks in terms of preparing her not necessarily for what's going to happen today, because today there's going to be the opening statements, and then she will deliver her opening statement. But really what's going to begin tomorrow morning, where each of those 19 U.S. senators will have 30 minutes to grill her and to ask some tough questions.

MARIA ECHAVESTE, DEMOCRATIC CONSULTANT: No. This is going to be unlike anything she's ever done before. I mean, she has been confirmed twice by the Senate District and Second Circuit, but this is a whole new ball game to use one of her famous cases.

But I think that she has been doing what you have to do with these nominees, is walk them through, let them practice, throw every tough question. And she got some sense of what some of those questions were by visiting all of those senators. So there's been a lot of cramming, and I'm sure that she's going to do fine because she's been through this. She's accomplished, but it's going to be nerve racking.

BLITZER: 87 senators I believe she met privately with, maybe 89 senators. That's a lot, Alex.

Republicans in terms of the questioning. Jeff Sessions, he's a former judge himself. He has said they will give her a polite hearing. And, of course, I'm sure they will. But there's a delicate line they have to walk right now to make sure that they don't go too far in terms of hostile questions. ALEX CASTELLANONS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: I think that's right, Wolf. And, of course, there have been enough issues raised about her jury's prudence, about her view of the law, whether empathy is more important than rule of law.

There are enough issues there to talk about without talking about her personally. So, I think you're going to see a very civil questioning from Republicans, but I think you're going to see some very straight forward and tough questioning from Republicans.

BLITZER: Which is appropriate given the enormity of what is about to happen. She's 55 years old, Candy Crowley, and she could serve 30 years, maybe longer, on the United States Supreme Court. A president of the United States is elected for four years, if re-elected eight years. But the impact of a Supreme Court justice could last for decades. So it's totally appropriate to make sure all the vetting is there and all the tough questions are asked.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And that's what you're hearing from Republicans, maybe to sort of like set the stage.

And I think, again, I think Alex is right that you'll hear tough questioning, because here are the two sides to this. You have a huge and growing electorate Hispanics. And then you have conservative Republicans who actually think this woman is going to be an activist liberal judge. So they are looking at their core constituency and they are looking at a growing Hispanic vote. So they can't be over the top on this.

CASTELLANOS: Moments like this, of course, are not just about the Supreme Court justice that we're looking at here. They are about the country itself. This is going to reveal a lot about both parties.

The Republican Party -- how do they see the country? The Democratic Party -- is it becoming the party again of special preferences and a weaker jurist prudence in that sense. So those things are going to be litigated here.

TOOBIN: I just think there is a legal issue that is going to be at the heart of a lot of this questioning.

Oops, I think the senator is starting to talk.

BLITZER: Hold on one second. I think the chairman is beginning to speak.