Justice Stevens to leave while Obama in office

[kpete]

Source: Associated Press


Justice Stevens to leave while Obama in office

21 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens says he "will surely" retire while President Barack Obama is still in office, giving the president the opportunity to maintain the high court's ideological balance.

Stevens said in newspaper interviews on the Web Saturday that he will decide soon on the timing of his retirement, whether it will be this year or next. Stevens, the leader of the court's liberals, turns 90 this month and is the oldest justice.

His departure would give Obama his second nomination to the court, enabling him to ensure there would continue to be at least four liberal-leaning justices. The high court is often split 5 to 4 on major cases, with the vote of moderate Justice Anthony Kennedy often deciding which side prevails.

"I will surely do it while he's still president," Stevens told The Washington Post.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_supreme_court_stevens

[thereismore]

1. Kennedy a moderate? Please. nt

[704wipes]

2. oh good, now we can get a Socialist on the Supremes...

nt

[salguine]

3. He'll probably appoint somebody from Goldman Sachs.

[d_b]

4. fuck

[nyy1998]

11. Sotomayor worked for GS?

[Jakes Progress]

5. If (and a big if at that) he were to appoint a good replacement

he need to get the chance before the next Congress. Someone as good as Stevens will have a hard time getting approved.

And we don't need some token middle of the road judge. The republicans gave us thomas, scalia, and roberts. We need to put a 35 year old firebrand on the court.

[AlbertCat]

6. The repugs will forget how the Dems rolled over for Bush nominees

and scream to high heaven and block and delay and have their usual hissy fit. It is clear as day that doing something to appease the GOP into some kind of cooperation is a fool's errand. Reciprocity is unheard of in the GOP.... unless corporate funds are involved.

[The Wizard]

7. The best thing to do with GOP Senators

who try their usual bullshit is to charge them with a trumped up crime and make them defend it. Accuse them of taking bribes that are funneled into secret off shore accounts. Accuse them of working hand in hand with the Bush cartel to subvert the Constitution. Accuse them of willfully promoting a war of aggression for profit.
Make them deny it. Accuse them of having sex with young boys; that should get McConnell to resign.

[quakerboy]

8. so how long can the court make it with only 8 justices?

I don't see a single republic voting to confirm an Obama Nominee. Not even if he were to nominate ol Darth Cheney himself

[BumRushDaShow]

9. This would be a hard decision on timing

If he chose to retire at the end of this current session, the ugliness that the rethugs will generate over the summer leading up to the election (with loud bleating about "activist justices", while ignoring their own activist idiots), will be the perfect distraction that causes Dems to go on the defensive - and moreso because of the pounding that would occur from the prevaricating gasbag RW-owned M$M. But if he waits until after, the Dems seem to suggest their own self-inflicted demoralization due to a fear of a potential loss of seats in the Senate this fall, presumably making it more difficult to install a new justice.

IMHO, the fact that Democrats had even managed to get to 60 (even after the 200+ day delay in seating Franken), was never really on the original radar as it was once a pipe dream. The hope had originally been to try to get close - like to 57 or 58.

We shall see...

[FBaggins]

10. While he's president isn't good enough.

It needs to be while we have a solid majority in the Senate.

[groundloop]

12. True, but even the "solid" majority now is awful shaky

Lie-berman's a republican, other's aren't much more reliable.

[lobodons]

13. Solid majority is gone

Dems will have a very slim majority after November and then in the next couple cycles will have to defend the pickups they got in 06 and 08 so holding majority will be tough. This might be Obama's last chance to get a real progressive in the SCOTUS. But will that turn moderates off for November if the opening is this year? November is looking like it could be a bloodbath anyway. (hopefully not literally, but will not be surprised if it is) It might. But hopefully it will bring the progressives out which might sit out otherwise since Obama really has been a very centrist administrator so far. (I would love to see Klochabar nominated, but not until MN gets a D Gov.)

[Bucky]

14. While I honor Stevens' many years of service to the country... what the heck is he waiting for?

Must've been a really interesting case he was waiting to hear from the bench back when Democrats had 60 votes in the Senate. Thanks a billion, JP.

Request to the president: please make this next one under 50.

[RedCloud]

15. Republicans will scream "But your nominee is not conservative activist enough"!

Fucking cheaters.