SENATOR: ‘IF I USE OBAMA STANDARD, I WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR HER’

The women chosen to serve as the next U.S. Supreme Court justice met with one of her most vocal critics Wednesday to discuss her nomination.

Sen. Lindsey Graham met with Judge Sonia Sotomayor for what he called a “sort of a get-to-know-you meeting.”

At a press conference after the meeting, Graham said it was productive, but that “if I used President Obama’s standard [in deciding to vote against Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito], Senator Obama’s standard, I would never vote for her.”

At the time, Graham noted, Obama said, “And when I examined the philosophy, ideology and record of Sam Alito, I’m deeply troubled.”

Obama eventually used that approach to justify his votes against Roberts and Alito.

“[W]hen I look at her ideology, record, and philosophy, I’m deeply troubled, if that’s my standard,” Graham said.

Graham noted the bipartisan support of other justices such as Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

“I would like to go back to that, but I live in a world where it may be very difficult to do that,” Graham said. “If I use the Ginsburg-Scalia standard, she has a chance of getting my vote. If I use the Senator Obama standard, there’s no way she will get my vote.”

Graham sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will have the first say over whether or not Sotomayor is approved to become the next member of the Supreme Court.