Opinion: Sotomayor hearings: A surprise appearance by Jerry Garcia

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar, praising the value of different life experiences, noted the diverse backgrounds of her fellow Judiciary Committee members. The Minnesota Democrat is the first senator to begin speaking now that the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has resumed.

Klobuchar invoked her fellow committee members to talk about diversity. Klobuchar noted that years ago, when the future Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) was in Vietnam as the son of a diplomat, she was working at a carhop in Minnesota.

Perhaps most surprisingly, she observed that committee Chairman Patrick Leahy is a well-known fan of a certain rock band. In fact, she added to a large laugh from the audience, the Vermont Democrat was once unable to take a phone call from the president of the United States because the chairman was on stage with the Grateful Dead.

What a long, strange trip it’s been.

-- Steve Padilla

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