Her response to this particular line of questioning has been disingenuous. She exercised discretion that went beyond both the sentencing guidelines and the prosecutor's recommendation. She COULD HAVE stated that she saw the defendant, watched all the testimony, and simply made what she considered the best possible sentence, all things considered. Maybe she didn't want to destroy the life of an 18-year-old whose crime harmed no one, except by strained inference.
As I have stated elsewhere on this Board, the "cool" thing about these hearings is that KBJ feels compelled to articulate a judicial philosophy that would make the late Justice Scalia proud, because if she were honest and candid her nomination would be almost universally scorned.
The RIGHT has won the debate for the hearts and minds of the American people: NOBODY wants another activist justice who ignores the law and the Constitution when they conflict with their personal political preferences.