This is the quintessential question. We tend to say a man is aggressive when he's about to strike at his opponent's jugular while many refer to women who assert themselves as aggressive, instead. Is this a double standard?
One Tough Cookie
Sonia Sotomayor has been analyzed, overanalyzed, criticized, praised, and analyzed again. In a recent AP article, the issue of gender is mentioned as well as her hard-hitting questions.
First of all, she likes to get in your face. Several lawyers have reported that if you go in unprepared, she'll eat you alive. While this may not seem politically correct, what would you prefer? A judge who goes to the bench unprepared and uninterested, ready for the next case so she can go home by 5 PM, or someone who takes her job seriously and who has the intellect and inquisitive persona to inquire about as much as possible prior to making a good decision? Most of us would prefer someone who asks the tough questions and does her homework before going to work. Sitting back and getting talked to does not appeal to me. If lawyers approach her with the intention of coasting to an easy decision, then they deserve to get questioned until the holes in their argument become evident.
Second, she's described as being focused on the best possible outcome to the problem. This means that while she does her homework, she will give the lawyers a chance to change her mind. This does not mean that she will accept lame responses to her questions, but rather that she may be waiting for an opinion that takes into account the various problems she sees with a case. Do you think this attitude leads to better or worse final decisions and explanations? And does this mean she is more or less biased about the final outcome? Thus far, while lawyers have commented on her assertive questioning, no one has accused her of being unfair. Is she biased?
Would you prefer a soft-spoken person asking nice questions? Or would you prefer someone with a blunt style asking tough questions for tough cases? Many prefer softness wrapped in political correctness over assertive, on target and candid styles. In selecting Sotomayor, we know she's tough upfront; this is why there is no need to say she ever misspoke. It looks like this lady says what she thinks and thinks what she says.
Thoughts? Would you prefer a "nice" boss who doesn't push you or who doesn't commit to get things done or would you, instead, chose a tough boss who is fair, means well and gets things done?
