Obama Nears Decision on Supreme Court Nominee

[usregimechange]

After sending out signals late last week that President Barack Obama was still some distance away from making a decision, the White House today indicated that an announcement of a new Supreme Court nominee may come this week. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said as much during today's briefing, and in other reports, unnamed sources also are quoted as saying, "We're getting there."

The accelerated pace comes after stories appeared that the president had additional meetings with potential nominees including Solicitor General Elena Kagan on Friday, and federal appeals judges Merrick Garland and Sidney Thomas on earlier occasions. On Saturday, Obama also shared the stage with Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, another short-lister, during the University of Michigan commencement. Obama has also been working the phones, apparently, in talking to nominees. His questioning is said to focus on illuminating whether nominees have an appreciation of the impact of Court decisions on average citizens.

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/05/obama-nears-decision-on-supreme-court-nominee.html


:popcorn:

[AtomicKitten]

1. No whammies!

[usregimechange]

2. Portions of today's press briefing related to this:

Q And then on the Supreme Court, where is the President in his decision-making process? We know he did some interviews, face-to-face interviews with potential nominees last week. Do you anticipate more face-to-face meetings this week? Is he close to a decision? Where are you?

MR. GIBBS: Close. (Laughter.)

Q Close as in?

MR. GIBBS: I couldn’t agree more with your characterization.

Q Close. So how close? Is he -- will he announce it this week?

MR. GIBBS: You know, I was thinking about this as I was
getting a series of emails, will it be today, will it be tomorrow. I am happy to advise you of when the event is when we do announce it. I think it would be -- might be duplicative to announce each day when the event is not going to be.

Q Well, but last week you did. You ruled out last week.

MR. GIBBS: Yes, I did rule out last week.

Q Can you rule out this week?

MR. GIBBS: No.

Q Okay, there you go.

Q Ooooh!

Q Hmmm -- ...

Q Is he doing -- is he using that time to do some interviews with Supreme Court nominees today?

MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to get into the interview process that the President has. I will -- safe to say, Chip, there is a lot on the President’s plate and a lot that he’s doing out of the watchful eye of the public.

Q And today does that include Supreme Court?

MR. GIBBS: I anticipate that he is working on the process of the Supreme Court, without getting into the specifics of what those actions might be.

[David Zephyr]

3. He has to nominate a woman. There's no excuse for not doing so.

George W. Bush took the Court from two women down to one. Obama now has the Court back to that level, but that's still a joke.

As far as I'm concerned, every nominee should be a woman until five are women and four are men. Men have had the judicial control of this nation since its inception. We need a majority of women on the SCOTUS for at least once.

Elena Kagan would would be an excellent choice.

[blue_onyx]

4. The sooner the better

Since it's an election year, there will be quite a fight no matter who Obama nominates. It would great to get the candidate approved before we get too close to the elections.

I hope it's a woman...I think it will be (preferable Gov. Granholm).

[madmax]

5. I like Granholm also

do you think she'd take it?

[blue_onyx]

6. Yes

Granholm said she would. She doesn't have anywhere else to go. Both of our senators are Democrats and I don't see her challenging either of them in a primary. She was born in Canada so can't be president or VP. So unless Sen. Levin retires in 2014, she'll have nothing else to run for.

[madmax]

7. Thanks, I'd love to see her on the court.

Wonder what the repugs will pull out the their arses to try to block her.