Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure
Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: Dos Equis on May 01, 2009, 11:31:25 AM
-
A leftwing president and a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate = Obama nominating someone way left of center.
List of possible replacements for Justice David Souter
Posted: 01:54 PM ET
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Judge Diane Wood, Judge Jose Cabranes — the list of possible nominees to replace Supreme Court Justice David Souter is growing by the hour.
CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears called on his extensive sources from the Court, legal community and political world to help compile a list of potential names that President Obama might be considering.
* Judge Sonia Sotomayor, 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1954. Has been on the appeals bench since 1998, named a district court judge by Bush in 1992, so would have some bipartisan support. Moderate-liberal views and Hispanic heritage considered big pluses. She is near the top of many people's list.
* Elena Kagan, Solicitor General
Born 1960. Served in Clinton White House in various legal and domestic policy positions from 1995-99. Former clerk for Justice Marshall. Has no judicial experience, and may be considered too young for the Court. Nominated for an appeals court seat in 1999, but Republicans held it up without holding hearings. A former dean of Harvard Law, where she named several conservatives to the faculty, earning her favorable respect.
* Judge Diane Wood, 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1950. She has sat on the bench since 1995. Considered moderate-liberal, well-regarded by many. Former clerk for Justice Blackmun, and served in both President Reagan and President Clinton Justice Departments. Possible consensus pick.
* Gov. Deval Patrick, Massachusetts
Born 1956. Elected governor in 2006. Boston native who went to Harvard, and later worked for the NAACP. Former assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights under President Clinton. Legal sources say he might not want the job or even be considered until his term ends in early 2111.
* Judge Merrick Garland, DC Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1952. Possible compromise choice. Considered a moderate. Served as former associate deputy attorney general and headed a probe of Oklahoma City bombing. His age is considered a political plus. Being a white male could hurt his chances if the president seeks diversity.
* Judge Ann Claire Williams, 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1949. Another possible consensus pick. Nominated, at the age of 35, to the U.S. District Court in 1985 by President Reagan, and then elevated to her current job by President Clinton. She is a labeled by many as a moderate who would be the first African-American woman on the Supreme Court. A former inner-city teacher in Detroit, she became the third African-American woman appeals court judge.
* Judge Marjorie Rendell, 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1947. Wife of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. Named by Clinton to district court seat in 1993, and then elevated to the appeals court in 1997. She has been an advocate for more women in the legal profession. Her husband's strong support for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential bid may hurt the judge's high court chances on purely political grounds.
* Judge Jose Cabranes, 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1940. A moderate liked by both Republicans and Democrats. He was considered for the Court by both President H.W. Bush and President Clinton. Being a Hispanic might elevate his stock if President Obama is looking to add diversity to the court. Vocal critic of federal sentencing guidelines.
* Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Michigan
Born 1959. Popular gubernatorial leader and former state attorney general. Born in Vancouver, Canada, which could raise some political (but not constitutional) concerns. She also attended Harvard Law School.
* Judge Adalberto Jose Jordan, U.S. Southern District of Florida, Miami
Born 1961 in Havana, Cuba. Named to the post in 1999. Legal sources say Obama may first elevate him to the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to give him more experience as an appellate judge.
* Harold Hongju Koh, State Dept. Legal Adviser (nominee)
Born 1954. Korean-American heritage may be a plus for President Obama seeking to put first Asian-American on the bench. A Yale law school professor and dean, pending his new government appointment. Worked as a human rights lawyer in Clinton State Department. Former clerk for Justice Blackmun.
* Judge M. Margaret McKeown, 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1951. Has been on the bench since 1998. The idea of a judge from the liberal Ninth Circuit might not sit well with Senate Republicans. But her western roots (a Wyoming native), somewhat moderate views, and age all considered political pluses. Also served as White House fellow during President Reagan.
* Judge Diana Gribbon Motz, 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1943. Dissented in July 2003 appeal involving accused terrorist and enemy combatant Yaser Hamdi appeal. She wrote, "Courts have no higher duty than protection of the individual freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution. This is especially true in time of war, when our carefully crafted system of checks and balances must accommodate the vital needs of national security while guarding the liberties the Constitution promises all citizens." Hamdi later won his Supreme Court appeal. Age might be a factor.
* Judge Johnnie Rawlinson, 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1952. African-American jurist has spent her entire legal career in Nevada. She is a well-liked, well-respected member of the largest federal appeals court, to which she was named in 2000.
* Ken Salazar, Interior Secretary
Born 1955. Former U.S. senator from Colorado. The state's attorney general for six years before his 2004 election to the Senate. He would receive favorable treatment from his onetime Senate colleagues, and his Hispanic heritage would boost his nomination.
* Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, Georgia Supreme Court
Born 1955. Leaving the bench June 30, 2009. On the high court since 1992. This jurist, who is African-American, has many noteworthy "firsts" on her resume. A recognized expert on family law. She is the daughter of U.S. Army colonel. Fun fact: Like Clarence Thomas, Sears grew up in the Savannah area (but was born on an Army base in Germany).
* Kathleen Sullivan, Stanford Law School professor (and former dean)
Born 1955. Her work on behalf of abortion rights, privacy issues may be criticized by conservatives. Also partner at a New York-based law firm. She was considered for the Solicitor General post that went to Kagan, but both women have very similar credentials.
* Cass Sunstein, Obama White House official, fmr. Obama campaign adviser
Born 1954. Will head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for President Obama. An old friend and colleague of the president, who was a principal adviser during the campaign. Considered a liberal, but supported the John Roberts nomination for chief justice. A prolific writer, criticized by conservatives for his 2005 book "Radicals in Robes: Why Extreme Right-Wing Courts Are Wrong for America." Fun fact: married in 2008 to Samantha Power, native of Ireland, and Harvard professor, whom he met when both were Obama campaign advisers. He left his 27-year job at University of Chicago (where he taught with Obama) to be near her in Boston. Also showed up in 1998 on CNN's "Burden of Proof" with his beloved dog.
* Judge David Tatel, DC Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1942. Blind due to degenerative eye disease when he was young man, but has never made much of it. If nominated and confirmed, he would become the first openly disabled justice. A former civil rights attorney. Age considered a real political factor, but a well-regarded intellectual, with strong progressive credentials.
* Judge Kim Wardlaw, 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Born 1954. Her Hispanic-Anglo background and telegenic popularity on the bench have helped raise her profile. Has close ties to the Clintons, which could be seen as hurting her chances on purely political grounds. She sided with homeless people who were arrested at night by Los Angeles police. Fun fact: Her chambers are filled with turtle figures, a reminder to slow down in life and law.
* Seth Waxman, former Solicitor General under President Clinton; DC private attorney
Born 1952. All current and former solicitors general are on most short lists.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/01/list-of-possible-replacements-for-justice-david-souter/#more-50052
-
Granholm would be a typical choice.A governor who has DESTROYED her state!!
-
I actually agree with Hatch.
Souter notifies White House of retirement plans
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Justice David Souter informed the White House on Friday he will retire from the Supreme Court, and President Obama said he hopes to have a replacement on the bench by the time the court reconvenes in October.
Obama interrupted the daily White House news conference to announce he had just ended a phone call with Souter, who, in a brief letter to the president, said, "When the Supreme Court rises for the summer recess this year, I intend to retire from active service as a justice."
The current term is expected to end in late June. Souter called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, a few weeks ago to tell him that he was going to retire, according to a source familiar with the conversation.
Obama thanked Souter, 69, for his more than 18 years of service, and said he will choose as his replacement someone who understands "the realities" people go through every day, and someone who understands "the rule of law."
In addition, the president said he will seek "somebody with a sharp, independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity." That person must honor traditions, respect the judicial process and share Obama's grasp of constitutional values, he said. Watch as Obama interrupts the White House briefing »
The president said he intends to consult with people in both political parties as he makes his choice to replace Souter.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, the Republican who led the Senate Judiciary Committee when President Bill Clinton nominated Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Stephen Breyer to the court, said Republicans needed to be fair and not seek "a big fight that is ideological." Watch who some of the contenders may be »
"That is not right," Hatch said. "And I think real senators who know what their responsibilities are will stand up and do what is right. You can't just vote against them because they differ with you in political philosophy."
"It all comes down to qualifications," he said. "If they don't meet those, then a legitimate vote against them is proper. But if they do meet those qualifications, the fact that they are not activists, not political, bodes well for them."
Breyer and Ginsberg, he said, were "both eminently qualified" to serve on the Supreme Court.
"We're not going to get any conservatives on the Supreme Court," Hatch said. "We're not going to get someone who is pro-life on the Supreme Court from Barack Obama. We know that. The question is, are they qualified?"
But conservative activist Ed Whelan, who heads the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said Republicans had an obligation to make clear "what's wrong" with Obama's vision "and how his nominee reflects that vision."
"I'd much rather President Obama make a quality pick of someone I regard highly as a jurist," Whelan said, but "I don't think that's going to happen. Given that it's not going to happen, I welcome the opportunity for a debate that crystallizes the vast differences between President Obama's embrace of liberal judicial activism and the conservative preference for judicial restraint."
Whelan, a former law clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia and deputy assistant attorney general in President George W. Bush's Justice Department, said "Souter was a terrible justice."
"There is plenty of room for there to be a justice far worse than he is and that seems to be what the left is pushing President Obama to select," he said.
Whelan warned that the court was "on the verge of some very bad rulings," such as "inventing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage" or approving human cloning, and worried that Republicans would "roll over and play dead, exactly as they did in 1993, when President Clinton nominated Ruth Ginsberg."
Speaking to reporters at the White House briefing, Obama described Souter as "not only a good judge, but a good person," adding, "I'm incredibly grateful for his dedicated service."
"I wish him safe travels on his journey home to his beloved New Hampshire and on the road ahead," the president said.
The vacancy will give Obama his first Supreme Court appointment -- the first since President George W. Bush's picks of Samuel Alito in 2006 and Chief Justice John Roberts in 2005.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/01/justice.souter.retiring/index.html
-
Sonia Sotomayor seems to be the most logical choice.. shes 1 step from the Supreme court right now...
But, I have a feeling Obama is going to appoint someone we never thought of..
-
Al Sharpton or Judge Judy.
-
montel williams
-
Its either going to be Williams, McKeown or Motz. Quite frankly all three choices are absolutely awful. The silver lining here, is that Souter was a staunch liberal, so having another liberal replace him isn't the end of the world. The court is still going to be divided 5-4 on every issue that matters anyway- so who cares.
-
i dont care what it looks like but i do not want a conservative or moderate
-
i think Obama is gonna throw a curveball at all of us and choose Ann Coulter to be on the Supreme Court.
-
i dont care what it looks like but i do not want a conservative or moderate
You've got nothing to worry about then.
Geraldo Rivera? :)
-
Sonia Sotomayor seems to be the most logical choice.. shes 1 step from the Supreme court right now...
But, I have a feeling Obama is going to appoint someone we never thought of..
Bill Ayers or maybe Rev. Wright????
-
i dont care what it looks like but i do not want a conservative or moderate
Why not just someone who knows how to judge cases based on the merits and existing law????
-
Is David Souter gay? I always got a gay vibe from him, but have never heard the media (even the gossip media) say much about his personal life.
He may just be a nerdy intellectual, but he has been a lifelong bachelor and is specifically known for not participating in the Washington social scene (that other justices participate in); and he is never seen with a companion in tow. ::)
-
Is David Souter gay? I always got a gay vibe from him, but have never heard the media (even the gossip media) say much about his personal life.
He may just be a nerdy intellectual, but he has been a lifelong bachelor and is specifically known for not participating in the Washington social scene (that other justices participate in); and he is never seen with a companion in tow. ::)
-
Is David Souter gay? I always got a gay vibe from him, but have never heard the media (even the gossip media) say much about his personal life.
He may just be a nerdy intellectual, but he has been a lifelong bachelor and is specifically known for not participating in the Washington social scene (that other justices participate in); and he is never seen with a companion in tow. ::)
there are some people that just prefer to be alone
speaking of closet cases though, isn't the chief justice suspected of being gay too
-
there are some people that just prefer to be alone
speaking of closet cases though, isn't the chief justice suspected of being gay too
Suspected by whom? Do you know anyone who claims to have slept with him? I don't.
There are several out gay politicos in DC. And a number of known closet cases known to DC's gay community, but I have never heard even a rumor about Souter which surprises me. I do not buy the "I prefer to be alone" line. That works after a messy breakup but for 60+ years? No. Not buying it.
-
Is David Souter gay? I always got a gay vibe from him, but have never heard the media (even the gossip media) say much about his personal life.
He may just be a nerdy intellectual, but he has been a lifelong bachelor and is specifically known for not participating in the Washington social scene (that other justices participate in); and he is never seen with a companion in tow. ::)
Maybe he just can't get a female. I know lots of lifelong bachelors who aren't gay. They just spared themselves the horror of marriage.
-
Suspected by whom? Do you know anyone who claims to have slept with him? I don't.
There are several out gay politicos in DC. And a number of known closet cases known to DC's gay community, but I have never heard even a rumor about Souter which surprises me. I do not buy the "I prefer to be alone" line. That works after a messy breakup but for 60+ years? No. Not buying it.
regarding Roberts, I just remember that rumor being tossed around by left wing blogs when he was being nominated. I used to listen to Randi Rhodes and she was constantly bringing that up at the time. Other than that I have no clue.
regarding Souter - never thought about it either way until you brought it up. Being single, even your whole life doesn't mean you're gay. From his personal info on Wiki it says he was once engaged and he does appear to be a quirky guy:
Souter enjoys mountain climbing in New Hampshire during the judicial off-season; he waits until only a few days before the Supreme Court's session begins to return to Washington, where he lived for years in a spartan apartment.[2] Souter was attacked by two youths in what appeared to be a random incident when jogging home at night in 2004. He managed to fend off these attackers using the martial arts skills he developed while attending Harvard.[2]
He is co-chair of the We the People National Advisory Committee.[citation needed]
Once named by The Washington Post as one of Washington DC's 10 Most Eligible Bachelors,[2] Justice Souter has never married, though he was once engaged.[citation needed]
According to Jeffrey Toobin's book The Nine, Souter has a decidedly low-tech lifestyle. He writes with a fountain pen and does not use email. According to Toobin, Souter has no cell phone, no answering machine, and no television. He prefers to drive back to New Hampshire for the summer.[2]
-
regarding Roberts, I just remember that rumor being tossed around by left wing blogs when he was being nominated. I used to listen to Randi Rhodes and she was constantly bringing that up at the time. Other than that I have no clue.
regarding Souter - never thought about it either way until you brought it up. Being single, even your whole life doesn't mean you're gay. From his personal info on Wiki it says he was once engaged and he does appear to be a quirky guy:
Souter enjoys mountain climbing in New Hampshire during the judicial off-season; he waits until only a few days before the Supreme Court's session begins to return to Washington, where he lived for years in a spartan apartment.[2] Souter was attacked by two youths in what appeared to be a random incident when jogging home at night in 2004. He managed to fend off these attackers using the martial arts skills he developed while attending Harvard.[2]
He is co-chair of the We the People National Advisory Committee.[citation needed]
Once named by The Washington Post as one of Washington DC's 10 Most Eligible Bachelors,[2] Justice Souter has never married, though he was once engaged.[citation needed]
According to Jeffrey Toobin's book The Nine, Souter has a decidedly low-tech lifestyle. He writes with a fountain pen and does not use email. According to Toobin, Souter has no cell phone, no answering machine, and no television. He prefers to drive back to New Hampshire for the summer.[2]
QFT
Bay is funny. I guess it has to do with his personality AND his orientation but from this and other posts he seems to think being single is any number of a few things: a mental deficiency, mental illness, wrong and if a man is single for more than a few months he must be gay. Very strange.
-
QFT
Bay is funny. I guess it has to do with his personality AND his orientation but from this and other posts he seems to think being single is any number of a few things: a mental deficiency, mental illness, wrong and if a man is single for more than a few months he must be gay. Very strange.
If he would ever tell us who of all the political hotshots that were gay we would be shocked..::)
BUT he won't - he's not in the outing business and we can't handle the 'truth', et al.
-
Maybe he just can't get a female. I know lots of lifelong bachelors who aren't gay. They just spared themselves the horror of marriage.
who? you and Bill Maher? :D JK ;D
-
who? you and Bill Maher? :D JK ;D
Probably.
-
Maybe he just can't get a female. I know lots of lifelong bachelors who aren't gay. They just spared themselves the horror of marriage.
Rod stewart said if he wanted to get married he would find a woman who hated his guts and would buy her a huge house.
-
Obama likely to pick female nominee?
Posted: 04:43 PM ET
From CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry
WASHINGTON (CNN) – In the very early stages of the selection process to replace Justice David Souter, Obama administration officials say there is a strong inclination to pick a woman, but stress there is no short list and the field of candidates is wide open.
The officials acknowledge the likelihood of a female pick stems in part from the fact that former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was not replaced by a woman so there is now just one female on the high court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, out of nine justices.
Rachel Brand, a veteran of the former Bush administration's Supreme Court selection process, said the general perception in legal circles is that Obama will nominate a woman for that reason.
"Or there is a strong expectation he will nominate a woman partly because Justice O'Connor was not replaced by a woman," said Brand. "That's not to say that he has to or even that he should nominate a woman. It's just what the political imperative seems to be right now."
Administration officials do not disagree with that perception, but stress that Obama is going to use overall qualifications for the job as the guiding principle - regardless of gender or race. That could mean winding up with a well-qualified man, similar to former President George W. Bush's selection of a Chief Justice.
"He's going to go with excellence, not unlike the previous President going with John Roberts," noted one Obama administration official.
Brand said the possibility of multiple Supreme Court retirements over the next few years could give Obama some flexibility in his first nomination.
"He may nominate a woman for this one and then the next time he may be freer to nominate whomever he wants, or he may decide that he should go with whoever the best candidate is irrespective of gender," said Brand. "But certainly the conventional wisdom is he will go with a woman.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/03/obama-likely-to-pick-female-nominee/#more-50290
-
Here is my bet:
1. Woman
2. Minority
3. Pro-abortion
4. Believes in the "living breathing document" theory of the constitution.
5. Gay/Lesbian/Transgender
6. Believes in reviewing foreign law as a source for a case.
7. Anti Death Penalty
8. Pro-Quotas
9. Pro - Eminent Domain
-
Here is my bet:
1. Woman
2. Minority
3. Pro-abortion
4. Believes in the "living breathing document" theory of the constitution.
5. Gay/Lesbian/Transgender
6. Believes in reviewing foreign law as a source for a case.
7. Anti Death Penalty
8. Pro-Quotas
9. Pro - Eminent Domain
Would not surprise me.
-
was souter a moderate, liberal, or conservative?
-
Stealth candidate that Bush Sr. thought was a conservative who turned out to be liberal.
-
Stealth candidate that Bush Sr. thought was a conservative who turned out to be liberal.
I see.
So even if Obama chooses the biggest liberal of them all...
Nothing will really change? We'll still have 4 libs, 4 cons, and 1 iffy?
-
I see.
So even if Obama chooses the biggest liberal of them all...
Nothing will really change? We'll still have 4 libs, 4 cons, and 1 iffy?
Correct.
-
Correct.
eh, I can see the repubs getting pissy if he replaced the moderate or a rightie. And I think when another person retires, he'll replace them with a moderate, particularly as it'll be closer to 2010 or 2012 elections.
But for them to cry because they're not gaining ground... eh... they cry about anything obama does, so it really loses its impact. "He's not changing a thing about the supreme court"... wow... cry me a river.
i heard tonight the repubs have appointed a guy whose job it is to shit all over the nominee, formally object, etc, even though they don't know who she will be.
-
was souter a moderate, liberal, or conservative?
Souter was a "moderate republican" who turned into a socialist lib. This was another gift of a Bush that has had horrible effects.
-
GOP senators on SCOTUS: No activist
Posted: 02:06 PM ET
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Senate leaders who met with President Obama today say he told them he'll name his Supreme Court nominee soon.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy made the comments after meeting with the president at the White House. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, also joined Reid.
Obama has said he wants his nominee to replace retiring Justice David Souter to be confirmed by the Senate before the start of the next session of the Supreme Court at the beginning of October.
McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, is optimistic that can happen.
"Unless the president sends up a very controversial nominee, the vote should occur well in advance of the first Monday in October, which is when the court reconvenes," said McConnell.
The White House has ruled out any announcement on a high court nominee this week.
Both McConnell and Sessions said they hope the president will not name a "judicial activist" as his nominee.
"I didn't recommend anyone, but I do believe that someone who is not a judicial activist would be best for the country. Someone who does take the law as written seriously. Someone who does not confuse the role with that of a legislator and hopefully the president will name someone along those lines," said McConnell.
"We are hopeful that a nominee will come forth that is a unifying nominee that we can all support," added Sessions.
McConnell would not say whether or not Senate Republicans would filibuster if they believe the president has nominated a judicial activist to the high court. "We'll take a look at the nominee, and respond appropriately," he told reporters Wednesday.
A filibuster is a tactic by the minority party that can stall or kill a bill or a nomination without a full vote.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/13/gop-senators-on-scotus-no-activist/#more-51498
-
translation... "We are going to bitch about anyone you put on the bench."
They're replacing a lib with a lib. Deal with it, GOP. Run a better candidate in 2012 and you put Rush limbaugh on the bench if you want.
-
Looks like it might be a woman.
Sources: High court selection process down to finalists
By By Bill Mears
CNN Supreme Court Producer
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The search for a Supreme Court nominee has been trimmed to about half a dozen candidates by top White House officials, and an announcement may come by month's end, two sources close to the selection process tell CNN.
Among the finalists are federal appeals court judges Sonia Sotomayor and Diane Wood, and Solicitor General Elena Kagan, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak by the White House.
Women make up all but one of the top candidates currently being given serious scrutiny, the sources said.
Also on the list, a source said, was California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno. The 60-year-old Los Angeles, California, native was not among the early favorites mentioned by legal analysts and the media. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs previously hinted some of the names under consideration were under the political radar.
Moreno was a federal trial judge before his 2001 appointment to California's top court.
A new round of vetting the finalists' records is under way by a small group of top staff led by the White House counsel's office, the sources said. Vice President Joe Biden, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and senior adviser David Axelrod are also extensively involved.
. . . .
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/13/scotus.obama/index.html
-
Why not just someone who knows how to judge cases based on the merits and existing law????
it doesnt even have to be a lawyer
-
Is David Souter gay? I always got a gay vibe from him, but have never heard the media (even the gossip media) say much about his personal life.
He may just be a nerdy intellectual, but he has been a lifelong bachelor and is specifically known for not participating in the Washington social scene (that other justices participate in); and he is never seen with a companion in tow. ::)
once ran into him at the Safeway...he was eyeballing the black guys...but some of them act like they just got off a tree so who knows what he was thinkin
-
it doesnt even have to be a lawyer
It does not have to be a lawyer, but honestly, the SC is no place for a rookie.
-
Obama Seeks Common Touch, Sharp Intellect in Next Justice
President Obama tells C-SPAN television in an interview airing Saturday that it's safe to say he will make an announcement soon on his choice to replace retiring Justice David Souter.
AP
Saturday, May 23, 2009
President Obama says he doesn't feel "weighed down" by a need to pick the next Supreme Court justice based on demographics, arguing that intellectual firepower and empathy with ordinary people are more important.
"You have to have not only the intellect to be able to effectively apply the law to cases before you," Obama said in an interview broadcast Saturday on C-SPAN television. "But you have to be able to stand in somebody else's shoes and see through their eyes and get a sense of how the law might work or not work in practical day-to-day living."
In the wide-ranging interview, Obama also said it's safe to say he will announce his choice soon to replace retiring Justice David Souter and that he doesn't feel pressured by the time it takes to complete the confirmation process. He did say, though, he wants the new justice confirmed with time left to prepare for the high court's fall term.
Obama, a former law professor, said he has followed the court quite closely; admires retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, although he hasn't agreed with all her rulings; and believes that Justice Antonin Scalia, the court's leading conservative and a prolific author of opinions, "is a terrific writer."
On the issue of high-court diversity, Obama was asked how his wife, daughters and mother-in-law might feel if he doesn't name a woman to the court.
"Actually I can't tell you the number of women, including Michelle, who say choose the person you think is going to be best," he said. "If I end up having more than one nominee, I am pretty confident that it would be reflective there of some diversity. I think in any given pick, my job is to just find somebody who I think is going to make a difference on the courts and look after the interest of the American people. And so, I don't feel weighed down by having to choose a Supreme Court Justice based on demographics."
But he quickly added: "I certainly think that ultimately we want a Supreme Court that is reflective of the incredible variety of the American people."
The court currently has a single female justice -- Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- and has never had a Hispanic justice.
Several women are among those confirmed as under consideration. They include Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and U.S. Appeals Court judges Sonia Sotomayor and Diane Pamela Wood. California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno also is said to be under active consideration.
"Obviously, you want somebody who is highly qualified, who knows the law," Obama told C-SPAN. "I want somebody who, obviously, has a clear sense of our constitution and its history and is committed to fidelity to the law."
Obama said his choice would be somebody "able to stand in somebody else's shoes."
The president cited the case of 70-year-old Lilly Ledbetter, the central figure in a 2007 Supreme Court decision saying discriminatory pay actions by companies had to be addressed immediately or not at all.
Ledbetter has said she did not learn about the sizable discrepancy in pay between her and her male co-workers until near the end of her 19-year career at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Gadsden, Ala. She sued, but the high court said in a 5-4 decision that she missed her chance to bring the action.
The court said a person must file a discrimination claim within 180 days of a company's initial decision to pay a worker less than another doing the same job.
Under a law signed by Obama on Jan. 29, each new discriminatory paycheck would extend the statute of limitations for an additional 180 days.
"She didn't know that she was getting paid less. When she discovered it, she immediately filed suit to get back pay and the suggestion was somehow that she should have filed suit earlier," Obama said. "Well, I think anybody who has ever worked in a job like that understands that they might not know that they were being discriminated against it. It doesn't make sense for their rights to be foreclosed?"
"That's the kind of case, where I want a judge not only to be applying the law in front of them, but also to understand that as a practical matter," he said.
-
I think his next appointment will be a disabled Asian homosexual. :)
Obama nominates Sotomayor to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama on Tuesday nominated federal appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.
If confirmed, Sotomayor, 54, would be the first Hispanic U.S. Supreme Court justice and the third woman to serve on the high court.
Sotomayor "is an inspiring woman who I believe will make a great justice," Obama said at a White House announcement.
She "has worked at almost every level of our judicial system, providing her with a depth of experience and a breadth of perspective that will be invaluable as a Supreme Court justice," he added.
Obama said Sotomayor would bring more experience on the bench than anyone currently serving on the Supreme Court when appointed.
"Thank you, Mr. President, for the most humbling honor of my life," Sotomayor said.
She thanked family members and mentors who helped her throughout her life and career. Watch Sotomayor's emotional tribute to her mother »
"My heart is bursting with gratitude," she said. She gave special recognition to her mother, who was sitting in the audience.
"I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences," Sotomayor said.
The president met with Sotomayor at the White House for an hour Thursday, according to senior administration officials.
He was impressed with Sotomayor's personal story and professional qualifications after meeting her, but he did not immediately offer her the job, two senior administration sources added.
Obama made his final decision Monday, the sources said. Watch CNN's Jim Acosta break the news of Sotomayor's nomination »
Sotomayor, a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was named a U.S. District Court judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1992, and was elevated to her current seat by President Clinton.
Sotomayor, who is of Puerto Rican descent, rose from humble beginnings at a housing project in the South Bronx and went on to attend Princeton University and Yale Law School.
She has minimal personal assets compared with many of her judicial colleagues; a 2007 financial disclosure form showed her with a checking and savings account valued at between $50,000 and $115,000.
Supporters say her appointment history, along with what they call her moderate-liberal views, would give her some bipartisan backing in the Senate.
A senior White House official said that Sotomayor was "nominated by George Bush -- then Bill Clinton -- [and has] more judicial experience than anyone sitting on the court had at the time they were nominated."
Another senior administration official said that Obama "was looking for someone with a balance of skills: very, very smart; independent thinker; highly regarded for integrity and commitment to the law."
"He found all of those things with her, including his goal of selecting someone with the empathy factor -- real world, practical experience and understanding of how the law affects real people." Watch as Obama cites Sotomayor's three decades of experience »
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, issued a statement calling Sotomayor's record "exemplary."
"Judge Sotomayor has a long and distinguished career on the federal bench," Leahy said. "I believe [she] understands that the courthouse doors must be as open to ordinary Americans as they are to government and big corporations."
Sotomayor, however, has suffered through recent stinging criticism in the media and blogs from both the left and right over perceived -- some defenders say invented -- concerns about her temperament and intellect.
As she has risen through the judicial ranks, Sotomayor increasingly has drawn the ire and opposition of conservatives. A majority of Republican senators opposed her elevation to the appellate court in 1998. Read about Sotomayor's record »
However, an official with the Republican National Committee promised that the GOP will be equitable toward Sotomayor.
"The Republicans are going to strike a tone that's fair, that allows the vetting process to happen like it should, and that's in stark contrast to how the Democrats dealt with Judge Roberts when you look back a couple years ago," the official said, referring to the 2005 confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts. Learn about the other Supreme Court justices »
In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said that Senate Republicans "will thoroughly examine [Sotomayor's] record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law evenhandedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences."
Conservatives point to, among other things, her authoring of a 2008 opinion supporting the city of New Haven, Connecticut's decision to throw out the results of a firefighter promotion exam because almost no minorities qualified for promotions.
The Supreme Court heard an appeal of the case in April; a final opinion is pending.
"Judge Sotomayor is a liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law as written," said Wendy Long, counsel to the conservative Judicial Confirmation Network.
"She thinks that judges should dictate policy and that one's sex, race and ethnicity ought to affect the decisions one renders from the bench. ... She has an extremely high rate of her decisions being reversed, indicating that she is far more of a liberal activist than even the current liberal activist Supreme Court."
However, the senior White House official said Sotomayor has had "99 percent of her decisions" upheld by a higher court. Watch how conservatives are gearing up for a fight »
Obama's nominee will replace retiring Justice David Souter, who announced this month he would step down when the court's current session ends this summer.
Obama's nomination will have to be confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate. Watch why Democrats want the process to go quickly »
The nominee is not expected to have difficulty being confirmed in the Democratic-controlled Senate in time for the new court session in October.
The president has said he hopes to have hearings in July, with the confirmation completed before Congress leaves for the summer.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/26/supreme.court/index.html
-
that was quick.
-
Here is my bet:
1. Woman
2. Minority
3. Pro-abortion
4. Believes in the "living breathing document" theory of the constitution.
5. Gay/Lesbian/Transgender
6. Believes in reviewing foreign law as a source for a case.
7. Anti Death Penalty
8. Pro-Quotas
9. Pro - Eminent Domain
Bump for 333386 being ahead of the curve on the selection of the Goya mascot to join the highest court in the land.
-
Bump for 333386 being ahead of the curve on the selection of the Goya mascot to join the highest court in the land.
Damn I called that one spot on!
-
Damn I called that one spot on!
You nailed that one.
-
You nailed that one.
I hope these fools remember that on my other calls that notoriously turn out to be correct as well.