Obama SCOTUS short list

[usregimechange]

Based on my combining of the two sources in this recent post:

9 now known for SCOTUS short list according to MSM citing gov sources (Mon Apr-12-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8137730&mesg_id=8137730

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Appears to be GLBT-free. Well, what a shock.

Also no one with a discernible background in or familiarity with public education.

I think I'll skip this one.

[usregimechange]

2. Someone just claimed with a source that Kagan was gay, though first I'd heard of that

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. I mean openly. Tacit status would include probably about a third of the list...

... and a third of those currently on the court.

[usregimechange]

7. I'd like to say that this person is the 10th...

[ruggerson]

17. I'm glad it's LGBT free

He has no intention of putting a gay person on the Court, so it would just be a cynical empty gesture to put one on a "Short" list.

[Toasterlad]

29. Obama Use Gay People As a Political Ploy, With No Intention Of Following Through???

That would be COMPLETELY out of character!

[CTyankee]

38. I'm not sure that is so. Review the list again...nt

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. I do not want Elizabeth Warren on the Supreme Court.

I want her in the seat currently occupied by Geithner or Summers.

[MindandSoul]

9. That is NOT a bad suggestion! Interesting. . .I'd vote for that!

[CTyankee]

5. Lone vote for Wood here. She's the "most liberal." Why not? nt

[usregimechange]

6. fear of her age I would suspect

[usregimechange]

8. kick for more votes

[usregimechange]

10. Warren in front with Ward and Granholm second...

[baldguy]

11. We need more old white men.

[usregimechange]

12. yeah right, geezers

[road2000]

20. Christ, yours is a dumbass post. n/t

[baldguy]

26. Thank you! Thank you, for such an intelligent, erudite & informative reply!

[road2000]

31. All right, sorry for that.

It was equal to yours in that respect. You posted photos of "old" men you obviously don't like. And only one of them is a lawyer.

[usregimechange]

13. kick

[blue_onyx]

14. I vote for Granholm

She would do a great job.

[usregimechange]

15. You live there can you fill use in about her views?

Church and state, free speech, etc?

[blue_onyx]

27. Ok

-She's Catholic. She converted to the Catholic Church when she got married. I once read about the religion she previously belonged to but I can't remember which one it was.

-She is pro-choice. Gov. Granholm vetoed late-term abortion bans twice as governor and Catholics weren't very happy:

"Michigan Catholic Conference Vice President for Public Policy Paul Long told LifeNews.com that Governor Granholm showed continued indifference to human life" with her latest veto."

http://www.lifenews.com/state3318.html

-In 2004, she campaigned strongly against the gay marriage ban. After the ban passed, people started pushing lawsuits to stop public institutions from providing gay partner benefits. Our lame Attorney General joined the lawsuits and the Governor asked for separate legal counsel to fight the lawsuits. Unfortunately, our Supreme Court agreed with the Attorney General and partner benefits are no longer given. As for supporting gay marriage...I don't recall whether she ever said she's for or against.

-I'm not really sure about free speech. I'm sure she supports free speech. I just don't know of any specific examples off the top of my head.

[Tx4obama]

16. Obama should pick someone 55 or younger

Warren is 60, Wood 59, Garland 57, Thomas 56 (but looks much older) - those four are not young enough in my opinion.

Harold Koh would be perfect.
55 years old, Asian, great back story, more than qualified, knows the U.S. Constitution inside out, a prominent advocate of human rights and civil rights, and has never been a judge (that is something that some folks have been asking for). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Hongju_Koh

[Smarmie Doofus]

19. Younger. MUCH younger.

DEMs should play this game the way the GOP does: For KEEPS.

[BzaDem]

18. Elizabeth Warren is 60 folks

Not that age is the only factor. But if the Republicans keep nominating people who are 50, while we nominate people in their 60s, it will raise the possibility that they will one day have 5 arch conservatives + Kennedy (as opposed to the current 4 + Kennedy).

[KharmaTrain]

25. Kennedy & Scalia Are Closing In On 75...

The real battle will be when Kennedy calls it quits, and I could see that happen in the next few years. I don't think any of the names being floated will be the nominee...more like trial balloons and shiny toys to keep the corporate media pundits busy. Whomever the choice, I'm grateful it's President Obama filling this vacancy than Gramps McCain! Also that a second Obama term would probably mean replacing Kennedy or Scalia...

[Toasterlad]

28. Stephens Is Retiring at 90.

What makes you think Kennedy or Saclia will retire before 80?

[Lyric]

21. I don't know enough yet about them to vote. I'm researching, however, and

Leah Ward Sears is making me a bit nervous. She's done some good things...and also some reeeally hard-to-pin-down things. This article she wrote for CNN makes me nervous, for example:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/07/02/sears.family.divor...

She doesn't seem to be advocating for the abolition of no-fault divorce--however, she DOES seem to be saying that there should be some kind of restrictions placed upon it, to make it harder to get a no-fault divorce. After all, what else could she mean when she says "Let's end disposable marriage" and "Removing no-fault divorce as a legal option may not be the right way to move forward, and the solutions we need may not be entirely legal in nature. But answers must be found." What KIND of answers might she mean? She says that they won't ALL be "legal" in nature...but she doesn't rule out that SOME of them might be. I fear for women if this woman makes it to the high bench. She's using very subtle right-wing "family" rhetoric here, and it's scary.

I also dislike the part where she says "Some people should never marry." That could mean what it seems to mean in context--that some couples are simply not suited to marriage. But combined with her expressed concern about "the breakdown of families", it could also mean something more negative for GLBT couples who are fighting for marriage equality.

Support for gay rights is not always synonymous with support for same-sex marriage. A judge (or President) could be extremely supportive of things like ENDA, removing DADT, etc., and still be against marriage equality. I pray that Obama doesn't nominate someone who turns out to be a liberal in every way EXCEPT for gay marriage. That would set us back enormously. Considering that gay people are now being hunted in Africa (at the prodding of American fundie churches) and even dragged out of their graves for further abuse, I think the GLBT community in America is rightfully nervous right now. The nomination of someone who turns out to be a "family" crusader (in which "family" excludes gay families, and also turns back the clock for women) could be a serious kick in the teeth.

[ccharles000]

22. I like the idea of Elena Kagan

[DailyGrind51]

23. Warren would put an end to "corporate personhood"!

[CTyankee]

24. That's a good point!

Do you think Wall St. would have shitfits if Obama nominated her?

[Bombtrack]

32. she's stated this as fact?

I really think we have enough "the middle class are the real victims/not the poor" advocates in every branch of government.

[DailyGrind51]

33. Check this out from "HuffPo"!

Huffington Suggests Elizabeth Warren As A Candidate To Replace Justice John Paul Stevens On The Supreme Court (VIDEO)

OPS_admin | Apr 11, 2010 | Comments 0

With John Paul Stevens announcing on Friday that he will be retiring from the Supreme Court this summer, there has been much speculation about who Obama might choose to replace him.

“I think the White House would like to do everything to avoid a fight. And I think they’re very mistaken if they think they can avoid a fight,” Arianna said On ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, as part of a roundtable with George Will, Sam Donaldson, and Cokie Roberts. “I think the president should nominate whoever he thinks is the best and forget this obsession with avoiding a fight because he won’t be able to.”

In addition to the names being bandied about as possible nominees, Arianna had another suggestion: Elizabeth Warren.

Full Story: HuffPost TV: Arianna Suggests Elizabeth Warren As A Candidate To Replace Justice John Paul Stevens On The Supreme Court (VIDEO).

http://www.onepennysheet.com/2010/04/huffington-suggests-elizabeth-warren-as-a-candidate-to-replace-justice-john-paul-stevens-on-the-supreme-court-video/

[Tx4obama]

30. Ages of current SCOTUS justices WHEN APPOINTED

Roberts - 50
Stevens - 55
Scalia - 50
Kennedy - 51
Thomas - 43
Ginsburg - 60
Breyer - 56
Alito - 56
Sotomayor - 55

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States

And here's a link to ALL speculated Obama candidates' BIRTH YEARS including those NOT on the short list (down the page by the map):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_Supreme_Court_candidates

[Tx4obama]

34. Don't expect an announcement from Pres Obama until at least after April 21st

Obama invites senators from both parties to discuss vacancy

Washington (CNN) – President Barack Obama has invited senators from both parties to a meeting to talk about the upcoming Supreme Court vacancy, the White House announced Tuesday.

Obama invited the Senate's majority and minority leaders - Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada and Republican Mitch McConnell of Kentucky - as well as the Democratic chairman and ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee - Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the White House said in a statement.

The meeting to discuss the opening created by the upcoming retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens will be on April 21 at the White House, according to the statement.

[Tx4obama]

35. Warren has been taken OFF the short list.

Warren is no longer on the short list.
Read the last paragraph below:

Washington (CNN) – The White House search for a new Supreme Court justice is progressing smoothly, say government sources close to the selection process, who expect President Obama to make a decision by early May.

The three favorites for the seat continue to receive the most attention among the small group of officials in charge of narrowing a "short list" of about ten names. Solicitor General Elena Kagan, and federal appeals judges Diane Wood and Merrick Garland currently have the edge over others being considered, said those sources.

–Administration sources say Elizabeth Warren - the financial industry watchdog - has been quietly taken off the short list, but is still among a larger group of candidates being considered by the White House. She is now getting much less scrutiny than some of the favorites.

[DailyGrind51]

37. Damn!

[CTyankee]

39. Oh well, maybe next time...nt

[WeDidIt]

36. Other

From a strictly political stance, he should appoint either Pam Karlan or Kathleen Sullivan. Both are openly lesbian women and are both imminently qualified for the job.

This would start a firestorm from the right and put gay rights in the middle of the fight. This will push independents to the left.

Please realize what I post now does not reflect my personal beliefs about LGBT rights, but deals with the perspective of average people.

Men who may be queasy about gay men will have a more sympathetic view of a lesbian woman. Male independents are the demographic you'd be going after with this move. Female independents will be sympathetic regardless.

This would serve to isolate the radical elements of the right while forcing the hard right GOP leaders into "protect your base" mode.

Furthermore, it would serve to shore up Obama's credibility with the LGBT portion of the Democratic base.

The more long term effects would be far more dramatic. This would isolate Anthony Kennedy from Antonin Scalia. Scalia was scathing in his rebuke of Kennedy joining with the majority in the the 5-4 Lawrence v. Texas decision. Isolate Kennedy from Scalia and you push more 5-4 decisions to the left.

The battle would be immense and no cake walk, but completely doable to get confirmation on either woman. The payoff in terms of political capital would make the political capital gained from winning the HCR battle look like chump change.

[BlooInBloo]

40. I still like that Stanford conlaw prof, whatever her name is.

[Tx4obama]

41. Carlos R. Moreno has been ADDED to the short list

From CNN

–Another top candidate from last year's high court vacancy is again on the short list. Justice Carolos Moreno of the California Supreme Court was moved up to the list of finalists. The 61-year-old judge is the only Democrat and only Hispanic on the seven-member bench. Some legal sources believe Moreno's name may be simple political outreach to the Hispanic community, building on the successful confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor in 2009. Moreno also has the strong support of the state's two Democratic senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/14/sources-obama-expected-to-make-high-court-pick-by-early-may/?fbid=0CG8YjNcju2#more-99611

Moreno bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_R._Moreno

[Tx4obama]

42. And regarding Leah Ward Sears - via CNN

–Leah Ward Sears, the former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court is a legal pioneer as the first African-American woman on the court. She now is in private practice in Atlanta. Her professional resume has a number of noteworthy "firsts," combined with what one source called a "sparkling" personality, and an inspiring personal rise from humble roots . But officials privately acknowledge they are aware of some unease among liberals. A recognized expert on family law, Sears has attracted controversy for her involvement in the Institute of American Values, which supports "traditional" marriage, and whose founder opposes gay marriage. The 54-year-old Sears is overseas this week speaking on behalf of the group. She was also fined in 2007 for violating state ethics laws when accepting improper campaign contributions. She is close friends with fellow Savannah-native Justice Clarence Thomas, whom she invited to her swearing-in as state chief justice.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/14/sources-obama-expected-to-make-high-court-pick-by-early-may/?fbid=0CG8YjNcju2#more-99611