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Obama's Supreme Court Choices

By Jeralyn, Section Supreme Court
Posted on Mon Mar 14, 2016 at 02:15:46 PM EST
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A new name has emerged as a finalist in the Supreme Court sweeps to replace Justice Scalia. Meet Paul Watford.

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    Obama's Supreme Court Choices | 31 comments (31 topical)

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    Judge Paul Watford (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by KeysDan on Mon Mar 14, 2016 at 03:03:35 PM EST
    would be an excellent Associate Justice; a graduate of UCLA Law and editor of its law review. And, he clerked for Justice Ginsburg. He, as well as any Obama nominee will have a tough time, if the Republicans even permit Committee hearings.

    Watford was recently vetted for appointment as appellate judge, but the vote was not a slam dunk (61/34).  Judge Jane Kelly's background as public defender is an attractive quality and she had, at the time, the support of Grassley. Merrick Garland is my least favorite name that has been suggested.

    Whomever the president nominates, it should be soon. Unless there is some strategy in waiting, it seems that the nomination is overdue.

    My personal preference is for Jane Kelly, ... (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Mar 14, 2016 at 03:47:15 PM EST
    ... given her background as a public defender, if we're actually seeking to restore to the High Court the balance and diversity that Peter G. says it so desperately needs. Another woman on that bench certainly wouldn't hurt. (And since Peter's argued before the Court, I value highly his personal take on this matter.)

    Appellate courts at all levels should reflect the wide array of legal expertise and opinion that exist across the board in the profession, and should never be stacked as an attempt to either ensure preordained outcomes or pursue a particular political agenda, as appeared to be the late Justice Scalia's penchant.

    As I've come to trust Obama's judgment regarding his appointments to the federal bench, I'm sure that each of the potential nominees is an exceptional jurist.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    This is going to be fun (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by CST on Wed Mar 16, 2016 at 11:23:34 AM EST
    To watch.

    For a regular nomination I might be disappointed it was Garland, but for the current circumstances it's perfect.

    To quote a certain robot:

    Let's dispel with this fiction that Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing.

    Judge Merrick Garland, (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by KeysDan on Wed Mar 16, 2016 at 12:11:39 PM EST
    while not my favorite of the names discussed is a good nominee under the circumstances.  The Republicans will not be embarrassed by their incalcitrance. And, of course, Senators, like Orrin Hatch, will have no shame and lots of reasons why  earlier accolades for Judge Garland are now inoperable. The Republicans have found that the paint in that corner they put themselves into will never dry.  And, the color, Benjamin Moore's "Barack Obama," is the sticky part.

    Judge Garland may feel that this is the best opportunity he has to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and is willing to withstand the brick bats to come his way--or thinks he does. As Chief Judge of the DC Court of Appeals  he is not likely to have a future career blemished by the Republican onslaught as would more likely be the case for a judge still in the earlier stages of a legal career.

    Judge Garland is reported to be a moderate jurist, which already places him light-years away from the late Scalia. And, of course, to be a true "replacement" for Scalia, Judge Garland would have to have an obsessive animus toward the gays.

     With a name like Garland, even if not a distant relative of Judy, my anticipation is that the Judge is a friend of Dorothy.  Judge Garland, if he is confirmed, while probably not in the notorious RBG mold,  is likely to join the liberal members of the Court on most issues. Yes, a good choice.  

    No, he's not any relation to Judy Garland, ... (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Mar 16, 2016 at 04:16:24 PM EST
    ... whose real name was Frances Ethel Gumm. And at 64 years of age, Merrick Garland -- whose own name sounds like he could be a character from a short story by Flannery O'Connor -- is one of the older nominees for the Supreme Court in recent memory, although we ought to keep in mind that the Notorious RBG was 60 when she was nominated and confirmed for the High Court. At 83, she's in peak performance mode. So, he could be around awhile if confirmed.

    Parent
    They find themselves between (none / 0) (#20)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Mar 16, 2016 at 01:46:30 PM EST
    Barack and a hard place.

    Parent
    Also (none / 0) (#22)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Mar 16, 2016 at 02:15:00 PM EST
    How amazing is it that the republicans are basing their entire position on something called "the Biden rule"?

    Seriously.

    You can not make this sh!t up.

    Parent

    Someone on One of the News Sites... (none / 0) (#23)
    by ScottW714 on Wed Mar 16, 2016 at 04:02:59 PM EST
    ... wrote if they R's reject Obama's nomination HRC should nominate Obama.  I would take a sick day just to watch the Fox News meltdown.

    Parent
    I believe O has said (none / 0) (#27)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Mar 16, 2016 at 06:56:42 PM EST
    He doesn't want the job.  I learned that when I suggested the same thing a while back

    Watching some of the coverage of this today I think Mitch and Chuck are about to get their azzes handed to them.  They are getting killed in the PR war.   Some senators in close races are going to meet with the guy.

    Joe Scarborough had an interesting suggestion.  He said they should take a film crew with Garland around to every senate office.  Request to meet with the senator on camera and if they refuse use the video in ads