Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire

[RocketMan]

Supreme Court Justice David Souter is going to retire at the end this current term.  No real change in the make-up of the court is anticipated, given how Souter typically votes, and the type of nominee Pres. Obama is likely to send up.

From NPR:

NPR.org, April 30, 2009 ·
NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the current court term.

The vacancy will give President Obama his first chance to name a member of the high court and begin to shape its future direction.

At 69, Souter is nowhere near the oldest member of the court. In fact, he is in the younger half of the court's age range, with five justices older and just three younger. So far as anyone knows, he is in good health. But he has made clear to friends for some time that he wanted to leave Washington, a city he has never liked, and return to his native New Hampshire. Now, according to reliable sources, he has decided to take the plunge and has informed the White House of his decision.

The story is here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103694193

[Regolith]

Not surprised.  Frankly, I think the guy was starting to get senile anyway.

I don't think this won't change the balance of the supreme court.  He was pretty far left, and even with the democrats in charge I think Obama would have trouble appointing someone further left than Souter.  Too many blue dogs that might side with the Republicans.  Hell, he's having trouble stocking his own cabinet; he may have to choose a moderate just to get someone nominated.

[Leatherneck]

Hell, he's having trouble stocking his own cabinet; he may have to choose a moderate just to get someone nominated.

Yeah, but a SCOTUS appointment is a far more attractive plum than a position as undersecretary of giveaways in the current cabinet.

TC

[castle key]

Grrrrrr..

And Souter announces that he will retire.

Irony, anyone?

At least it is Friday!

[seeker_two]

I'm betting that one of the Clintons (Bill or Hillary) will be nominated to that spot....as payback for the election help....


Won't THAT just make the Heller cert cases all shiny?.... 

[Fly320s]

Pan, Pan, Pan!

[Jamisjockey]

News today was opining that Souter is a liberal anyways, and Obama will replace him with another.
I merged these up since they are about the same thing.  And since I'm pretty sure where this is going, its getting moved, too.  Damn that's alot of work.  I need a beer.

[El Tejon]

Would someone get Fly320 some bread already.  Poor guy must be hungry.

[Regolith]

I'm betting that one of the Clintons (Bill or Hillary) will be nominated to that spot....

I doubt it.  Congress seems to like either judges who already serving on a federal bench or lawyers who have a long history of arguing before the SC.  The Clintons are neither, and I think even the current congress would balk at such an obvious political move.  Also, Bill Clinton isn't even a current member of the bar;  he resigned before they could get around to disbarring him after the whole perjury thing.

[Sergeant Bob]

I doubt it.  Congress seems to like either judges who already serving on a federal bench or lawyers who have a long history of arguing before the SC.  The Clintons are neither, and I think even the current congress would balk at such an obvious political move.  Also, Bill Clinton isn't even a current member of the bar;  he resigned before they could get around to disbarring him after the whole perjury thing.

Wasn't Bill also banned from arguing cases before the Supreme Court as well? Wouldn't that be ironic for him to get the nod.

[longeyes]

Obama's first criterion, we've learned, is "empathy."  And this from a guy who was, we have been told a million times, was the editor at Harvard Law School.

I think Obama has the perfect candidate in his immediate circle...

MICHELLE.

[HallMonitor]

Bill Clinton continues to have been disbarred to argue before the SCOTUS bench, since the whole Monicagate thing blew over. (No pun was intended). Would be rather ironic if he were nominated, despite the fact that the Clintons and the Obamas aren't exactly bussom buddies.

I believe Hillary Clinton continues to be more interested in the White House, already has a highly visible and prominent executive position to give credence to her future arguments about foreign policy and affairs.

Its only fitting that the president will maintain the balance of the court by nominating a young, far left reaching liberal to the bench. I'm fairly sure he already has a short list of nominees to quickly fill a seat, considering the senior justice, John Paul Steven recently turned 89 years old.

[longeyes]

Obama the Narcissist picks his perfect reflection: Michelle.

She is the greatest woman in America and no one has more empathy than Michelle.  You can look it up.

[French G.]

Silver lining time... I can hear the circus music already. This upcoming nomination and confirmation should keep congress from actually doing anything for a few months. And that is a win for us.

[Dannyboy]

Silver lining time... I can hear the circus music already. This upcoming nomination and confirmation should keep congress from actually doing anything for a few months. And that is a win for us.

Even better is the thought that we may not end up with a total lefty wackjob.  I just read an article at fox news and it mentioned a committee rule that any candidate has to have at least 1 Republican vote.  With Specter switching sides, they really lost the one guy that would probably give them that vote.  Of course, this all means nothing because, like the House Dems, the Senate Dems will change the rules to get what they want and we'll all get screwed.

[Reifen]

Well, thing is, that same article mentioned that they are unlikely to change the rules to get what they want because of how dangerous a precedent that sets.

[Balog]

Given how some of the "conservative" nominees have turned out in the past, maybe we'll end up with a net improvement over Souter.

[HankB]

I don't think this won't change the balance of the supreme court.  He was pretty far left, and even with the democrats in charge I think Obama would have trouble appointing someone further left than Souter. 

So I take it you think Bill Ayers and Ward Churchill are out of the running?

[AZRedhawk44]

Maybe we'll get lucky and Obama will pick a Bizarro-Souter.

Someone who looks lib but then swings conservative.

Wouldn't that make for a fine "change."   

[RocketMan]

Maybe we'll get lucky and Obama will pick a Bizarro-Souter.

Someone who looks lib but then swings conservative.

Wouldn't that make for a fine "change."  

I like it.  Heh, heh, heh. 

[stevelyn]

Not surprised.  Frankly, I think the guy was starting to get senile anyway.

I don't think this won't change the balance of the supreme court.  He was pretty far left, and even with the democrats in charge I think Obama would have trouble appointing someone further left than Souter.  Too many blue dogs that might side with the Republicans.  Hell, he's having trouble stocking his own cabinet; he may have to choose a moderate just to get someone nominated.

Yeah, but better the devil you know than a younger one appointed by a Marxist that you don't.


This has been our fear all along. The current mooks in charge can do a lot of damage to the country, but not like the long-term damage that can occur as a result of appointing a fellow traveler to a lifetime appointment on the SCOTUS.

[slingshot]

He was pretty far left, and even with the democrats in charge I think Obama would have trouble appointing someone further left than Souter.

And the Supreme Court is not supposed to be political.  Souter waits until Obama is in office and announces his plans. 

[erictank]

And the Supreme Court is not supposed to be political.  Souter waits until Obama is in office and announces his plans. 

IIRC he (Souter, that is) stated prior to the election that he'd be retiring if Obama was elected and could pick his replacement. 

It was *ALWAYS* about politics, in this case.

[Scout26]

(R) Appoints Justice > 50-50 chance they'll go liberal

(D) Appoints Justice > precisely 0% chance they'll go conservative.

[Sergeant Bob]

Chief Justice Sears a possible nominee

By Bill Rankin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears’ name has popped up as a potential nominee to succeed retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter.

Sears, 53, describes herself as a judicial moderate. But court watchers say she has long been one of the state Supreme Court’s most liberal members.

On Friday, Sears declined comment on speculation she could eventually be a high court nominee.
________________________________________________________________________________________

This to me, is the worst thing about the whole whole deal. We will have to live with Obama's choice for the Supreme Court for a lot of years. Souter was pretty Liberal but, at least once in a while he voted with the conservatives. His choice to retire only if Obama was elected was the most Liberal (and extremely political) vote he could make.

Trouble is, we probably wouldn't have done that much better had McCain been elected.