White House Prepares for Possibility of 2 Supreme Court Vacancies

[kpete]

Source: ABC News

White House Prepares for Possibility of 2 Supreme Court Vacancies
SCOTUS Watchers Believe Justices Stevens and Ginsburg Could Decide to Step Aside
By ARIANE de VOGUE

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2010—

Lawyers for President Obama have been working behind the scenes to prepare for the possibility of one, and maybe two Supreme Court vacancies this spring.

Court watchers believe two of the more liberal members of the court, justices John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, could decide to step aside for reasons of age and health. That would give the president his second and third chance to shape his legacy on the Supreme Court.

Last week, when Obama took the nearly unprecedented step of criticizing the court's opinion in a major campaign finance case during his State of the Union speech, some believed he was showcasing for the American people that presidential elections, and Supreme Court nominations count.

"With all due deference to separation of powers," the president said, " last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign corporations -- to spend without limit in our elections. I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=9740077

[Skink]

1. They're like that's it were oughta here.

the country can't be saved.

[Tippy]

8. My take ...they want to distance themselves from the RW justices

And to have President Obama to do the nominating.

[Bette Noir]

18. Or, to give Mr. President a chance to replace them with younger

liberal justices, to carry on their legacies.

I just wish the conservatives would decide to retire, so we could get a better balance in power.

[FormerDittoHead]

2. PLEASE don't "seek the middle" Mr. President!!! n/t

[FiveGoodMen]

4. Amen to that!

[glitch]

21. Seeking the middle would definitely be a bad move if you actually want to represent the middle.

As a centrist would claim. With the far right extremists on the court now the only way to achieve a centrist court would be to appoint far left extremists. Since none exist in the judiciary you'd have to appoint progressives.

Appointing the most progressive liberal judges he can find would be the most centrist move possible for this particular court.

[wordpix]

22. RAMEN!

[aquart]

3. The Filthy Five will live forever.

Or at least to the end of their signed contract with Satan.

[Jefferson23]

6. That is my take on them too.

[wordpix]

24. true but Fat Tony could kick off from too many milkshakes & prime rib dinners

:) suddenly :nopity:

[Zoeisright]

34. It sure seems that way, doesn't it?

The more evil you are, the more you seem invincible.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. Obama will have very little chance of changing the ballance of the Court in his first 4 years.

The second four, if there is a second, could be critical.

[LiberalFighter]

10. All the more reason to get him re-elected.

There is a good possibility that up to 6 vacancies could occur during the 8 years. Roberts, Alito, and Thomas would become impotent as result for many many years.

[tomm2thumbs]

14. +1 and keep Democrats in office for 4 more years across the board

we see how the GOP plays no no no and nothing gets done - I hope they are creating ads from all the filibusters and blocking being done by the GOP for the fall - people are more mad when govt does NOTHING than when it does something it might not necessarily agree with

[LiberalFighter]

17. We all need to see the small and the big picture.

The big picture being that we need to control the Senate as well as executive branch for the next 7 years.

And these idiot Democrats that are trying to avoid connection with Obama need to understand that Obama got elected in their state when it is typically a Republican state then they need to be more in line with his policies and not the Republican side.

[RamboLiberal]

38. The damn Repukes are smart in appointing Justices

young enough they will be in power through a number of presidents. Of the five only Scalia and Kennedy are over 70. I expect it may well be Obama if he gets a 2nd term will not even then get to replace one of the 5. Will be more important than ever to ensure we get a Dem president after Obama.

[NV Whino]

7. This should be a wild ride

I don't think I can bear to watch.

[Tippy]

11. Wild Ride is puitting it mildly... n/t

[kpete]

15. or...

it could make the Tea Baggers shake in their boots...

[LiberalFighter]

9. They need to turn off the elevators whenever Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, or Alito

leave or enter the building.

Turn the heat up in their offices.

Grease their meals with lard.

Disable their limos.

[skyounkin]

12. How about we just impeach the fuckers.

It's not like any of the scumbags don't deserve it.

[LiberalFighter]

16. If it can be done but not likely.

[Ozymanithrax]

32. First, it requires a high crime or misdeamenor...

A stupid decison counter to the interests of the Country doesn't qualify.

There will be no impeachment of anyone on the court.

[Zoeisright]

36. Gee, you mean like fixing the results of a national election?

Seems like a pretty 'high crime' to me.

[Zoeisright]

35. +1000

Although I think their meals are already pretty greasy. At least Fat Tony's are.

[tomm2thumbs]

13. where the 60 would have been very helpful, albeit 59 helps as well

it certainly isn't ideal but we'll see

[Bette Noir]

19. I think you need 67 to impeach.

[The Stranger]

20. Is Martha Coakley still on vacation? Can someone send her my thanks?

[EmeraldCityGrl]

23. Ruth Bader Ginsberg is asleep at the wheel

[wordpix]

25. she does not look well physically speaking

and that can impact your mental state, no doubt about it

[alsame]

31. No, she doesn't look good at all. I was concerned when I saw her

at the SOTU, she seems to have weakened considerably since last year.

[valerief]

26. Do any of the treasonous justices drive Toyotas with bad brakes?

Just asking.
:eyes:

[madrchsod]

27. god we can only hope and pray...

that they leave to live a long retirement

[IScreamSundays]

28. It is time for 11 Justices nt

[Codeine]

30. Worked so well last time we tried it. nt

[Q3JR4]

29. I'm reminded of a quote:

"Marshall. John or Thurgood, either one. I want Brandeis, Blackmun, Douglas, but you can't get them, can you? Because it's all compromises now, the ones who have no record of scholarship, no body of opinions, nothing you can hold them to. That's who they'll confirm -- raging mediocrities."
- Milo O'Shea as Chief Justice Roy Ashland on the West Wing.

Q3JR4

[marshall]

33. The Clintons for both seats?

That would really be something. And it would put to bed with real finality the ongoing talk about Hillary planning to fight for the nomination.

[Demeter]

37. The Mind Boggles

I'd want judges who work at it, not retire into it. And fairly young ones, too.

[totodeinhere]

39. Will Obama appoint liberal jurists to take their place?

Or will he continue to bow down to the right wing and appoint so-called moderates? If we don't watch it, this could be a step backward. And you better believe that none of the five conservatives will ever retire as long as they have a at least weak pulse, hoping for a GOP prez somewhere down the line.

[laylah]

40. ONe can only hope

the replacements will be in the interest of WE, THE PEOPLE!