i'm lynn berry. >>> today we begin with division over the deadline. after days of tough inside negotiations, democrats in congress now say they won't meet the president's timeline to push through a deal on health care reform. still, with the white house in damage control mode, president obama says the issue remains his top priority. here's nbc's steve handelsman. >> reporter: president obama had gone to cleveland to push health care reform when he learned the senate will not meet his august 7th deadline for a first vote. >> that's okay. i just want people to keep on working. and i want it done by the end of this year. i want it done by the fall. >> reporter: senators looking for ways to pay fort obama plan had reported more progress. but senate finance committee chairman privately said he needs more time. and senate majority leader reid gave it to him. >> it's better to have a product that is one that's based on quality and thoughtfulness rather than trying to jam something through. >> reporter: that

i'm lynn berry. today we begin with trial by fire. judge sonia sotomayor will be back on capitol hill this morning for a second day of tough questioning in her bid to become the nation's sex supreme court justice. this all follows a day of sharp, if polite, exchanges with republican lawmakers who honed in on one famous remark. nbc's steve handelsman reports. >> no words i have ever spoken or written have received so much attention. >> reporter: the words were wise latina. sonia sotomayor, the first his panic nominated to the u.s. supreme court, had to answer for them again in her confirmation hearing. >> so i guess i'm asking today what do you really believe? >> reporter: in a series of speeches, sotomayor had said a wise latina would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male. >> i do not believe that any ethnic, racial or gender group has an advantage in sound judging. >> reporter: some lawyers who argued cases before sotomayor said they came away with bad feelings about her. r