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That's right. Justice David Souter is said to have informed the White House he will retire. Souter will evidently stay on the Court until his replacement is confirmed.
Why is this such a big deal?
First off, just imagine had John McCain been elected. We would be facing a very different likely nominee from a guy who has explicitely stated he wantsRoe v. Wade overturned. Would Souter be retiring if McCain was in the White House? Probably not. But four years would be a long time to go without a retirement, sickness, death on the Supreme Court.
Instead of McCain, we have Obama, a former constitutional law professor. We have high expectations that Obama will pick someone impeccably qualified and reasonable expectations that Obama will pick someone who respects individual rights and the rule of law.
Souter was nominated by Republican George H.W. Bush in 1990, but soon became identified as part of the liberal wing. He is a respected jurist who has written several important decisions in the last couple of decades.
So the balance is unlikely to be changed significantly. But it is a chance for Obama to place another legal star to serve on the Supreme Court for possibly a few decades.
And the confirmation fight! It will have fireworks. The social conservatives in particular are going throw everything they can at Obama's nominee, whoever they may be. They will do this because each seat on the Court is important, even if it was formerly occupied by a like-minded person. They will also be setting the stage and tone for all future Obama judicial nominees--or at least they will try.
It's so sweet to get this news the same week Senator Specter switched parties...
Comments
WOOF
Seriously though, as one who was critical of demands that Obama publicly commit to filling half of his cabinet with women, I have been disappointed with the low numbers of women he has appointed to high positions. Given the extreme gender imbalance on the Supreme Court and the fact gender does play a role in a jurist's perspective, it would be truly great to have a female nominee. Being non-white, biracial, or a sexual minority would be an added bonus.
Jes dis is all very exciting comrads, i sink a hispanic femle is on zee vay here. I agree, i agree. Perhaps a cuban lawyer bot not another castro hater bot someone, someone progressive, maybe even a venezuelan lawyer a female jes Guevara maybe she beleeves in a more international lawjering fashion. don ju agree? aaaah a reel change, jes we can, jes we can. chortly maybe we can kiss the imerialistic capitalism goot by. and tings vill get back to normal in thee mother contry too. Da, Da
Comrads plees say nyet to dees conservative ideals of free market, im for a more social reform. don ju agree comrads. i vill vait on jur thoghts. bastrovia. Da?
Ju know one day dis change vill come with the new central us government in power.
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