Talk Grows of 2 Openings at High Court

law.com ^ | Feb. 16, 2010 | Tony Mauro

[Free ThinkerNY]

If two U.S. Supreme Court vacancies materialize this spring, they may have the same impact on the nation's capital that two heavy snowfalls have had this month: gridlock, paralysis and frayed tempers.

Stories raising the possibility that justices John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg may leave at roughly the same time have suddenly become part of the Washington conversation, already fueling nightmare scenarios of dragged-out battles between a weakened President Barack Obama and a fiercely contentious Senate over possible replacements.

"Republicans are out for blood, and Democrats are out for a fight," said Steve Wermiel, professor at American University Washington College of Law. "We're close to a peak of partisan wrangling in Washington."

Speculation about potential nominees has already begun, with Solicitor General Elena Kagan and Judge Merrick Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit winning the most mentions at this early stage. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also the subject of growing speculation as a possible nominee.

That said, many Court-watchers still don't believe two concurrent vacancies are likely.

"There's a very express consensus within the Court that two vacancies not occur simultaneously, barring a medical tragedy," said David Garrow, a high court scholar and senior research fellow at the University of Cambridge. "And there's no new evidence that Justice Ginsburg is at all considering departing."

WHO WILL GO?

The latest guessing game began when ABC News reported on Feb. 4 that the White House was preparing for the possibility of two vacancies by refreshing and researching its list of potential candidates. The Wall Street Journal also quoted unnamed officials asserting that Ginsburg's apparently successful battle against pancreatic cancer last year nonetheless has "made preparations for her retirement prudent."

[Touch Not the Cat]

.
Hopefully the confirmation hearings will drag out for three years.

[Nachum]

Interesting. If Hillary becomes the replacement for Ginsburg, she might actually be more moderate.

And she won't ever run for president.

[MinorityRepublican]

Yep if Hillary is the nominee, Republicans can’t really do anything to stop her from being accepted. So that’s a good trump card to play.

[Gay State Conservative]

Both Stevens and Ginsburg a slimey Maoists and it's a given that Hussein The Blessed will nominate Maoists to replace them.So,basically,the only downside is that the replacements are likely to be younger.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Brace for the impact of the coming onslaught of media propaganda!

[pallis]

Stevens should wait until the 2010 election is over. Ginsburg doesn’t matter. Obamao can’t do much worse than her.

[Notwithstanding]

FTA: “...the White House was preparing for the possibility of two vacancies by refreshing and researching its list of potential candidates...”

Translation: “Rahm-the-Ballerino asked Soros to send him the updated http://www.cpusa.org roster.”

[Slyfox]

Hillary tends to dominate whatever organization she is in. That's why MO didn't want her as VP.
I would feel really bad for Roberts and the guys for having to put up with her.

[Mariner]

there's little will for a new fight in the dim caucus of the Senate...except on the far left.

The "moderates" may side with the GOP.

Obama has no political capital left...and Reid? He's dead meat walking.

[LostInBayport]

I always get queasy when I read articles like this because the last time a vacancy occurred one of the names bandied about was...inept Mass. governor Deval Patrick.

Since it seems his only hope for reelection is a Clinton-type under 50% win, he might be available. Obama would love him, as Deval is a lib’s lib, and would base his opinions solely on his feeeeeelings.

[Bruinator]

Don’t SCJ’s need bench time. How many have we had that went from lawyer to a member of the SC?

[Willie Green]

Obamao can’t do much worse than her.

If The Messiah really wanted to catch the GOP with its pants down, he could nominate Harriet Miers..

[newfreep]

I said back in 2008 campaign when Hellry stepped down, part of the agreement was her being appointed to SCOTUS. Nothing has changed that thought.

[katiedidit1]

Let’s pray that no vacancies occur until Obama is out. Also, agree with you on Bolton as Sec of State and like Demint too.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

If Hillary becomes the replacement for Ginsburg, she might actually be more moderate.

I don't think she'd accept it.

No travel and waaaaayyy too much work for her liking, I'll wager.
She can't be anything like The Queen she thinks she is.

Plus, I don't think she's smart enough to do the job.

[popdonnelly]

We’re screwed. A Supreme Court that will rubber stamp everything the Democrats do would be a disaster.

[Pollster1]

If the communist gets even one nomination, I can only hope and pray that a name will come to the minds of the patriotic US Senators: Bork. That is the model, and they know what to do if Obama chooses the sort of anti-American judicial activist that we know he wants.

[Charlemagne on the Fox]

Oh, my—the article lists JANET NAPOLITANO as a possible nominee! You have GOT to be kidding me.

[TLI]

"Republicans are out for blood,

Blood hell, we are talking crushed and splintered bone, right down to the marrow.

It really makes me wonder what has convinced the “liberals” THE VERY AGENDA that they, the communists-that-call-themselves-democrats are attempting to institute which has been the root cause American Citizens are fighting, sacrificing and preparing (not just planning) outright wars to be fought against will somehow, with literal Tinkerbelle magic, be brought into existence because a punk communist from Chicago spouted fairytale euphemisms?

I have got to ask, just how stupid are the commies?

No, really…