By The Editors
John Payton vigorously defended Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s fitness to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday in a charged debate with conservative commentator Patrick Buchanan on the MSNBC program “Hardball with Chris Matthews.”

Below is the content of a speech by John Payton, President  and Director-Council of NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, at the 22nd National Equal Justice Award Dinner held in Manhattan, New York on November 6, 2008. Good evening. And this is a really good evening. This week, this election, have been historic and momentous. [...]