Justice Sotomayor Fortunately Made Her Book Signing, and Biden Is No Longer President

January 20th, 2013

Reuters reports that Sotomayor, who was unceremoniously delayed during the Vice President’s swearing in–which ran late–made it to New York on time for her book signing.

Biden’s office scheduled the swearing-in for 8 a.m. EST/1300 GMT to allow Sotomayor, the first Hispanic on the nation’s highest court, enough time to catch a train for a three-hour ride to New York.

On Sunday at 2:30 p.m./1730 GMT, Sotomayor had been due to speak at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Manhattan and sign copies of her memoir, “My Beloved World.”

Her schedule was squeezed, however, when the private ceremony at the vice president’s Naval Observatory residence began more than 20 minutes late after a Mass for Biden’s friends and family.

I noticed she was getting antsy during a prayer given before-hand. I’m sorry the Justice’s schedule was “squeezed.”

Before Sotomayor departed, Biden made clear he appreciated her sticking around to give him the oath of office.

“I wanted to explain to you what a wonderful honor it was and how much out of her way the justice had to go,” Biden said after the short event, attended by family and about 120 guests.

“She is due in New York. She has to leave right now, so I apologize,” Biden said. “We are going to walk out, you see her car’s waiting so she can catch a train I hope I haven’t caused her to miss.”

I thought he may have been passive aggressive, but who knows.

Despite the time pressure, Sotomayor delivered the vice presidential oath impeccably – unlike Chief Justice John Roberts, who mixed up the words to the shorter presidential oath when he swore in Barack Obama as president in 2009.

Sotomayor made the book signing in New York and read out a chapter to some 200 people about her parents and childhood in the Bronx.

Phew! At least she made it! And 200 people. 200 people showed up to a book signing of a Justice in Manhattan? Doesn’t that seem like a small turnout? I’ve organized events at law school with a bigger turnouts than that.

The list price of the book on B&N is $27.95. Let’s say everyone bought one copy. That would be $5,590. Everyone was allowed to buy up to 4 copies. That would be $22,360. Let’s say her royalty is 15% (which is high). That would be, on the upper end, $3,354.

She said she was “deeply touched” by the people who had waited at the bookstore for hours to see her. “That’s an awesome amount of love to feel.”

Oh, the people who rearrange their schedules to see the Justice. Oh wait.

Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said the book event was a longstanding commitment that Sotomayor could not break.

Yeah, I’m not buying it.

Fortunately, Joe Biden is no longer President as the President as taken his oath, without any errors.

Let’s see which Justices show up tomorrow (the only reason I’ll be watching).