Souter is retiring, so who is it going to be? How frieking liberal will the new justice actually be? How easy will the confirmation process for any candidate? Remember how Bushes candidates were treated. Freefall Deval Patrick, could be, maybe, he did such outstanding work when he was at Coca Cola. Patrick "patches" Kennedy, and why not, Jesse Jr., at least he was almost a U.S. Senator until the bribery conspiracy broke in the news, which we all know was probably a republican conspiracy? Oprah, yes Oprah, sure, thats the ticket, Oprah Winfrey. Marc Rich, I'm sure his vetting through the AG's office will go smoothly, after all Eric Holder couldn't speak to badly of him now, especially since he saw to it Rich was pardoned with his help. But is Rich an attorney/ Hey, no problemo, the DNC will get him an on-law degree from an as yet named famous university.

Allright, enough cynicism, this is huge. This appointment could change the face of things to come for decades and decades. So what your best guest everyone?

One thing I'm sure of is the justice will ask more questions and show more intelligence than Justice Thomas.

You seem like you need to go out fishing.

souter is a lib, we'll swap a lib for a lib, dont think it will change anything

While I share your sentiments regarding Thomas' uncompromising position on judicial restraint and muted participation in oral arguments, its his unwillingness to capitulate to public opinion or his liberal colleagues on the bench that enchanted Scalia and the late Rehnquist. He is often portrayed as Scalia's yes-man, but from what I've read, he pigeon-holes himself into polarizing positions on his own accord and this emboldens Scalia who often polishes the logic. Whatever he may lack in "intelligence", he more than makes up for it with big, stifling, Georgia-heat-sweaty, right-wing balls. Thats why he officiated pillhead Rush Limbaughs third wedding (or was it his fourth).

Funny thing about Souter, is that he was appointed by Bush Sr. who believed he would employ a conservative approach to adjudication. That obviously did not work to well. From a conservative ideological standpoint, Souter was the worst supreme court appointment a president could make.

When Bush Sr. appointed Thomas, he made up for that and then some...

I just hope they have paid their taxes. That will be an impressive improvement in the vetting process.
Your right though Jimmy, this won't change much but this could make the first of up to four appointments .
Something I predicted before He was elected. Then the term "Living Document" as pertains to the Constitution will have new meaning.

Sonia Sotomayer is on the short list. Her odds look pretty good.

I just hope they have paid their taxes. That will be an impressive improvement in the vetting process.
Your right though Jimmy, this won't change much but this could make the first of up to four appointments .
Something I predicted before He was elected. Then the term "Living Document" as pertains to the Constitution will have new meaning.

I think i saw you predicting at this street corner earlier.

I think i saw you predicting at this street corner earlier.

Ya, that's me. but that pics. from the Tea Party.:biglaugh:

I don't think I'd call Sutor a "liberal". Sure he's voted to the left on social issues but so would much of middle America. He's also voted with Scalia quite a bit early in his tenure.

One thing Bush did with the Roberts appointment was to pick someone who had rock solid credentials, that even while conservative, would be appealing to the mainstream. Alito perhaps less so.

I'd wager Obama will follow the same thread. He's not going to make a pick simply for ideological reasons (i.e. Meyers) but rather look towards someone of substance.

Ultimately, if Obama does make several appointments during his administration he knows part of his legacy will be defined by how he helped to shape the court.

Also, considering how the Right, and especially those pesky evangelical conservatives look towards the Judicial branch as the keeper of all that is evil (i.e. Roe v Wade) I fully expect any of Obama's nominations to be branded as the spawn of Satan by the Republican leadership.

-spence

One thing I'm sure of is the justice will ask more questions and show more intelligence than Justice Thomas.

You seem like you need to go out fishing.


Paul S. I have been hanging in here so much I need the name of a good therapist. Ah but wait, fishing will do just fine, thank you. Tight lines everyone.

Good article on the front page of the NYT today which gives quite a bit of insight into Obama's opinion of the judiciary. Obama's felt for some time that real power lay in the legislative and executive branches - which was why he went into politics rather than the law. As a professor at University of Chicago Law School he would routinely poke holes in the arguments of conservative and liberal justices alike. He would stress to his students that the Supreme Court was not something to be in awe of.

Paul S. I have been hanging in here so much I need the name of a good therapist. Ah but wait, fishing will do just fine, thank you. Tight lines everyone.

Fishing has been slow so posts some pictures so I can envious.