What is your initial reaction to the Kagan selection - support, oppose, withholding judgment?

[jefferson_dem]

[lamp_shade]

1. Support.

[rpannier]

2. I put other because I'm a qualified supporter

I have posted a few places that as of now I'm o.k. with her nomination
I recognize that it is hard to know what people will do once they get on the Court
Many presidents have found that out, much to their chagrin: Bush I, Ford, Nixon, Eisenhower, Roosevelt, etc

The reasons for opposition have been unconvincing and at times silly: "She's friends with Scalia." was one persons concern

Obama has made one appointment to the bench and I am very happy with the decision
At this point I have seen nothing that makes her unqualified to sit.
I realize qualified is different than supporting.
I lean in her favor, but am not a true supporter

[CBR]

3. Support as of now. I have seen no reason not to. nt

[CTyankee]

5. I'm with you. I like her stand on DADT and on corps lobbying.

I'm hesitant on what exactly she supports with regard to executive powers. Need clarification there.

I think the hearings will be most instructive....let's wait and see...if she's good she's good for a VERY long time....

[BootinUp]

4. I support it. nt

[patrice]

6. It appears to be a baldly political appointment. nt

[vi5]

7. You should qualify that statement....

It is a baldly political opointment, which wouldn't be a bad thing. If the politics of it were nominating someone who would appeal to the democratic base of voters with a clear and solid liberal record.

But this is a baldly political move in the Obama way which is to avoid fights and try to continue getting that coveted and elusive "bipartisanship" which is just never going to happen.

[patrice]

10. Good point; I'd prefer a political appointment that was not so "bald", one

that addresses the pro-corporate judicial activism of SCOTUS.

[Hippo_Tron]

49. The President is a politician

Almost everything he does is political. Just like every other president.

[saltpoint]

8. Toward the last week or so I was very taken by Judge Wood but support

Elena Kagan.

I think she is going to do just fine in the confirmation process, too.

That little pissant Jeff Sessions better bring his best game to those hearings.

[polichick]

9. Glad the pick is a woman - there should be six, given the population...

Beyond that, we'll see.

I think it's sick that Republicans appoint right-wing nuts like Scalia and Dems pick middle of the road judges - when liberals have always led the way when it comes to rights and justice.

[patrice]

Oh, it's only Judicial Activism when "the Left" (Ha!) does it..

"Democracy" is supposed to define our rights, not judges.

[polichick]

15. You're the only one talking about judicial activism...

I'm suggesting Democratic leaders stop being afraid to appoint liberal judges - Republicans are certainly not afraid to appoint right-wing judges.

[patrice]

16. Judicial Activism has been the subject of at least a few of the President's quotes on this subject.

[harkadog]

35. The population is 2/3s female? I never realized that.

[safeinOhio]

11. Just think what it would be if

McCain was President. That sheds a different light on it.

[tularetom]

12. I read so much negative stuff about her on DU I'm withholding judgment

I didn't know Kagan from Eve when I first heard that she was a likely court appointment. Then I saw her name popping up on posts here at DU. As I read things like "she will make the court more conservative" and "she's in bed with Goldman Sachs" I began to form a negative opinion of her.

Now that the appointment has become fact, I'm waiting, while I do a bit more research on her, to see the reaction of Boner, McConnell and other prominent congressional republicans. If they adamantly oppose her, I'm for her. If they sound tepid in their opposition I'm still on the fence. And in the very unlikely case that they support her, I'm opposed to her appointment.

[Rowdyboy]

13. Support....

[TreasonousBastard]

14. "Other" Not only don't I know enough to like or dislike the choice, I can't imagine...

what my "support" would mean.

Just what is this "support" I keep hearing about? Are there people here who have enough clout to affect such a decision?

[dumpdabaggers]

17. Not my choice but I support it.

After all, she is pro choice, seems to be an advocate for gay rights, she is smart as hell, and is much better thany anythign McCain could have picked.

Can you all imagine if McCain had won? We would be looking down our noses at a 7-2 conservative court.

[dumpdabaggers]

18. Had McCain won we would have a 7-2 right wing court.

Scary.

[stevenleser]

29. Yep, pro-Gay Rights and pro-Choice. Two of the more important types of cases likely to come before

the court. Hard not to like.

[amandabeech]

19. I'm disappointed that Obama did not pick someone who would put some

geographic, religious and non-Ivy League diversity in there.

Justice Stevens was from Chicago and graduated from Northwestern undergrad and law school.

Couldn't Obama find someone like him in those ways.

[stevenleser]

28. She taught Law in Chicago. That ought to count for some... n/t

[MadBadger]

20. Leaning toward Support but would like to hear more during her hearings

[vaberella]

41. I'm on withhold until I see her hearings and read more about her. n/t

[ZombieHorde]

21. I support her nomination. nt

[Jennicut]

22. I am leaning toward support.

I think we need to see the confirmation hearings but honestly this article told me the most about her: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/10/us/politics/10kagan.html?partner=rss&emc=rss From this, she seems adept at building consensus and bringing people together on something. Not a bad type of person for the SC.

[TheKentuckian]

23. Other: uncomfortably disinclined to actually oppose pending getting some handle

on what she believes and how she intends to apply that to her judgments.

I have questions that I think are crucial and if she dodges them then I'll have to be a sour grape that hopes for the best.

I think she is generally qualified but so was Robert Bork, qualified that is but far from acceptable. I'm not saying she's anything like Bork but other than trust Obama, I don't see any basis to know where she stands on anything unless (I think unfairly) her cases as Solicitor General are to be used as a guide, at which point I would have to vehemently oppose.

[Fire1]

24. Withholding judgement. n/t

[Ticonderoga]

25. I oppose.

[Peacetrain]

26. Well since Kagen was on the short short list the last time also...I have had the chance

to look at some of her stances.. granted she does not have a jurist trail except for one thing.. but I am okay with it as it stands and from what I have read

[IndianaGreen]

27. Opposed!

Dianne Wood would have been a solid progressive choice. Wood has a track record of defending civil liberties and opposing executive branch overreach. Kagan will move the Court further to the right.

[vaberella]

40. We don't know that. Justice Stevens on first glance is a WASP and a Republican.

Yet he was extremely liberal when it came to court cases and is considered the most liberal justice we've had. So I you have no way of knowing how she'll move the court---that's the most unfounded claim.

[depakid]

30. Very skeptical

and at this particular time, there were more attractive choices for replacing Stevens. Considering that Ginsburg's probably going to retire shortly, and the Senate's not going to be any more favorable to nominees in the coming years- and never more than now, Obama should have kept this one in his hip pocket.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tekisui]

32. I am very much looking forward to the hearings.

I don't see any red flag reasons to oppose her. Nor do I see anything that affirms her selection.

The fact that she clerked for Thurgood Marshall tells me almost all I need to know.

[ruggerson]

33. I support her. First choice was Karlan, but Kagan will do just fine

[vaberella]

39. Really? Why? I'm asking because I'm one of the withholders.

I'd like to get as much input as possible before making a decision.

[ruggerson]

48. Because

a) the little that I have read BY her, and the lot that I know OF her tells me she is brilliant.

b) she seems to be exceptionally likable. Doesnt mean she can charm Anthony Kennedy to death, but doesn't hurt on a court where we need that fifth vote.

c) She has been on a mission for this job since law school. There is a reason there is such a scant paper trail - she deliberately wanted it that way. That tells me a lot about how prepared and meticulous she is as a professional.

d) I like what she stands for culturally. She's a liberal New Yorker from the Upper West Side. I'm guessing I will agree with her 90% of the time.

:)

[Arkana]

34. From what I've read, I would have liked Sid Thomas more,

but I like Kagan too.

[old mark]

36. Other - she is smart and will probably not be a bad justice, but we

should have had a solid liberal, which we will never get with Obama as our president.

Mildly disappointed, but it is not unexpected.

mark

[jefferson_dem]

37. Interesting. Half support and another 25 percent are withholding judgment.

Less than 25 percent are unhappy (squeaky wheels).

[HughMoran]

45. That's almost always the case

There is a psychological explanation related to intelligence, ego and a need to be right, but I would get crucified if I were to elucidate further. :D

[vaberella]

38. I'm withholding judgement overall but I love that she's a METS fan. ^_^ n/t

[paulk]

42. she is a blank slate who has gone out of her way to be that -

as her critics have pointed out - so, I think her confirmation hearings are going to be important.

Especially since she is on record as saying that nominees should make their positions clear.

In replacing the most liberal member of the Court, it's important that we choose someone who doesn't move the court even farther to the right than it already is.

I am, at this point, withholding judgment...

[jefferson_dem]

43. I agree...

with all that you said. :)

[supernova]

44. Tentative support

waiting to hear more about her.

[ensho]

46. I support but have one question which I hesitate to ask

hoping to see an answer before I'm forced to ask DUers.

I'm not usually cowardly about asking questions - but this time I am.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

47. Withholding judgement until I learn more

Which is what I would think everyone would do considering she doesn't have much of a record.