Sotomayor faces more questions

Judge Sotomayor regrets any misunderstanding over her statement

US Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has again been grilled over her comment that a "wise Latina" might make better rulings than a white male.

She was facing questions during the third day of her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Ms Sotomayor said she regretted that her remark several years ago had been misunderstood.

If, as expected, Ms Sotomayor is confirmed, she will be the first Hispanic Supreme Court judge.

Words 'fell flat'

Judge Sotomayor, 55, was referring to this remark she made in 2001: "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a former state judge and attorney general, asked her if she stood by the remark.

"I stand by the words 'it fell flat'", she said, in reference to her response on Tuesday that the comment was a rhetorical flourish gone awry.

She added: "I understand that some people have understood them in a way that I never intended. And I would hope that, in the context of the speech, that they would be understood."

Sen Cornyn asked asking whether she would regret if her audience of students understood her to be saying that the quality of a judge depended on race, gender or ethnicity.

She said: "I would regret that."

Abortion

On a separate issue, Sen Cornyn asked her about a published report that administration officials have been seeking to reassure abortion rights groups concerned about her position on the issue.

Judge Sotomayor said neither President Barack Obama - who nominated her for the Supreme Court - nor anyone else in the administration asked her views on abortion rights before she was nominated for the Supreme Court.

"I was asked no question by anyone including the president about my views on any specific legal issue," she said.

Despite further questioning during the hearing, Ms Sotomayor refused to give her views on abortion rights.

On Thursday senators will question other witnesses about Ms Sotomayor's record as a judge.