Justice Hillary Clinton?

LA Times ^ | 6/12/2008 | David A. Nichols

[markomalley]

After Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton holed up in Sen. Dianne Feinstein's living room last week for a private tete-a-tete, speculation mushroomed as to what Obama might be offering his former rival. Pundits cited all the possibilities: the vice presidency, a spot in the Cabinet, Senate majority leader and -- yes -- appointment to the Supreme Court.

Is it possible that Obama might adopt Dwight Eisenhower's 1952 strategy for dealing with a contentious political rival? California Gov. Earl Warren had run for president three times and saw himself in line for the Republican presidential nomination in '52, but the war hero of Europe came home and derailed his plans.

Myths abound concerning the Eisenhower-Warren relationship, including the erroneous story that Ike used an appointment to the court to repay Warren for support at the Republican convention, where he didn't have a majority of delegates secured. In fact, Warren didn't release his delegates until after the contest was over.

But after his election in November, Eisenhower strode into Herbert Brownell's room at the Commodore Hotel in New York, where the future attorney general was working on Cabinet appointments. According to Brownell, Ike announced, "I want Gov. Warren to know that we consider him a part of the Eisenhower team." Did he want Warren in the Cabinet? No, said the president-elect, "I think he'd be a good man on the Supreme Court."

Eisenhower placed the call himself. "Governor," Warren recalled Eisenhower saying, "I want you to know that I intend to offer you the first vacancy on the Supreme Court." Eisenhower confirmed the call in his memoirs but claimed that he was only "considering the possibility." But the proof of this secret deal lies in the fact that when Chief Justice Fred Vinson died the following September, Eisenhower nominated Warren for

[M203M4]

Warren wanted to be POTUS (and then VPOTUS) prior to that (as a Republican!). Eisenhower later regretted the nomination of Warren to the SC as "the biggest damned-fool mistake I ever made." Of course, the historical revisionists have succeeded in painting all animosity directed against Warren as racist hatred of the civil rights movement. Same goes for any criticism of Lincoln - must be because the critics secretly wish slavery was still around. And everyone against FDR was secretly a fascist.

[popdonnelly]

Stop it, you’re giving us all these reasons to vote for McCain.

[moonman]

A woman who tried to deny a sitting President (Nixon) his constitutional rights may become a Supreme Court Justice. Lovely! :(

[Luke21]

Earl Warren was one of the most evil men ever born. He was a human plague and a criminal worshiping fiend who brought about unparalleled destruction. He unleashed scads of murderers into the streets and created legal loopholes that remain to this day.

[markomalley]

Stop it, you’re giving us all these reasons to vote for McCain.

Don't care if you vote for McLame; voting against Hussein OTOH...

[Ingtar]

I think McCain more likely to appoint her than Obama. Which, contrary to what you might think I mean, means that I think there is zero chance. He may promise to her, but he won’t deliver.

[dayglored]

> Only one position is good for the beast.

Yeah, but she didn't do THAT position, which is why Bill took out after Monica...

[Salvation]

NOOOOOO!

[doug from upland]

Getting her under oath in confirmation hearings would be very entertaining.

[supercat]

If the Democrats ram through Hillary Clinton as a SCOTUS judge, I think a lot more people will wake up to the difference between what the Court says is Constitutional and what actually is.

[NewJerseyJoe]

McCain said that Shrillery would make a fine president — why would he have any less “esteem” (I use the word lightly) for her in regard to a seat on SCOTUS?