Sonia SotomayorBy a vote of 68-31, with Sen. Al Franken sitting in as the body’s president, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.The vote followed spirited arguments for and against Sotomayor in the final hours of debate, as Republican leaders decried “the empathy standard” they said she would bring to the high court, and top Democrats insisted that Sotomayor was the most qualified Supreme Court nominee in a century.

Minnesota’s two Democratic senators, Franken and Amy Klobuchar, both voted “aye,” with Franken’s “aye” resonating more loudly than those spoken from the floor because he spoke it into the Senate president’s microphone. Eight Republicans joined Senate Democrats in voting for Sotomayor’s confirmation. 

Then after calling for any senators who wished to vote or change their minds, Franken announced the final tally, that Sotomayor was confirmed as a Justice and that the president (of the United States) would be immediately notified.

Then Majority Leader Reid made a routine parliamentary move, triggering a roll call by suggesting the absence of a quorum.

That inspired a Franken chuckle, as the Senate floor actually remained packed.

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