Cornyn, Hispanic lawmakers break ice on vital issues

Cornyn has not yet decided whether he will vote for Sotomayor's nomination to become the first Hispanic on the U.S. Supreme Court. Hearings on her nomination are scheduled to open on July 13.

Her critics have seized on her choice of words during a 2001 speech about the judiciary when she expressed “hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.”

In a meeting Wednesday with the House Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Cornyn said, “I don't know if that was sort of a throw-away comment. Over the course of a 30-year career, I would hate for people to dredge up things that I may have said — sort of in jest or without giving it a lot of thought.”

Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo, asked Cornyn: “Do you consider yourself a wise white man?”

“I would strive to be,” Cornyn answered, adding: “But I would not make that claim.”

Cornyn said he would not support or participate in any filibuster attempt to block Sotomayor. But he wants assurances from the appellate court justice “that she views a judge as an impartial umpire, essentially calling balls and strikes” instead of advancing “some agenda.”

Cornyn became the first U.S. senator to meet with the 44-member Mexican American Legislative Caucus. It was Cornyn's idea.

“It is a very big deal. It's an honor for us,” said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, chairman of the caucus, which focuses on issues important to Hispanics.

Cornyn said he wants more such face-to-face meetings “so we can understand each other better, agree where we can and then we can, maybe, agree to disagree where we can't.”