How about Russ Feingold for Supreme Court Justice?

[FrenchieCat]

:shrug:

I mean, he's independent, fair, unbiased, has plenty empathy and life experience...and doggone it...he's young enough. Ok, so he's not a Hispanic Female, but still, he'd be a great pick if looking outside the bench in an inspirational way!

I'd just like to see him disagree with the RW cabal over there! Just thinking about it would be sweet! :)

After graduating from Joseph A. Craig High School, Feingold attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1975, a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He went to Magdalen College at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship in 1977, where he earned another Bachelor of Arts degree. Upon returning to the U.S., he attended Harvard Law School, receiving his J.D. with honors in 1979.<4>

A recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, Feingold is known for his cosponsorship of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act ("McCain–Feingold Act"), a major piece of campaign finance reform legislation. He was also the only Senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act during its first vote.

Feingold worked as an attorney at the private law firms of Foley & Lardner and La Follette & Sinykin from 1979 until 1985.<5>

In 1982, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate, where he served for ten years until his election to the United States Senate. In 1987, he joined the "Bowtie Brigade," a coalition of grassroots activists and local-level politicians who backed the presidential candidacy of bowtie-clad Senator Paul Simon of Illinois.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Feingold#Career

[BluegrassDem]

1. And get yet another Senate seat open?

I don't think we can risk anymore open Senate seats right now. The replacements are turning into circuses.

[ProSense]

2. No,

please don't pull out anymore Senators, especially not progressive ones.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Awe,...come on!

There's always Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton to be appointed by the current Dem Governor. And Barbara Lawton is great!

[Captain Hilts]

4. Okay, I'm convinced. I wanted him to be president, but this works for me. nt

[masuki bance]

5. He's not gay.

[FrenchieCat]

6. And?

He's empathetic.....I think that's important! Heck, Andrew Sullivan is Gay....but I wouldn't want him as a justice.

[masuki bance]

19. And? And he's a white male.

[LooseWilly]

7. Hell, why not Michelle Obama?

She's a lawyer...

[FrenchieCat]

8. She's married to the President....that's why.

[MADem]

10. The "Bobby Kennedy Rule" applies....no more nepotism! nt

[LooseWilly]

12. Ahh hells,

... next thing you're gonna be getting down on hedonism.

Though, if it's a Bobby Kennedy Rule, maybe you're right. I wouldn't want her to get Bobby Kennedy'd.

[MADem]

15. It got tossed into a postal law in 1967, But it was in reaction to Bobby Kennedy.

You can't hire relatives for cabinet positions or to work in your Congressional offices is what it says, pretty much.

Not sure about Supreme nominations, but I don't think that would go over too well!

[LooseWilly]

22. See, now that's just dumb.

It would be one thing if they weren't qualified... but Bobby Kennedy sure seemed to be able to do the job. Of course, he was killed before I was even born... so what the hell do I know?
All the same, that's a solution to nepotism that's so hamfisted that it undermines meritocratism... potentially at least.

[MADem]

23. It used to be very common for congressmen to hire their wives or

brothers or sisters for "no show" or "no work" staff jobs back in the old days. After this law was passed, those jobs went to the mistresses!

Now, they actually have to work at it if they want to play the nepotism game, and find another congressman to trade with them--I'll hire your husband if you hire my wife, that kind of thing. And the workers actually have to show up and do a little work.

I don't think it includes grandkids. I seem to remember they tried to nail someone, Maxine Waters, maybe, for hiring a grandson as an intern.

The Bobby Kennedy thing wasn't without controversy. Amongst Democrats, it was no big deal/great/swell--and the "Ethel and the zillion kids" and Hickory Hill mystique all added to the "Kennedy story," the gossip and crap that has nothing to do with governance (like the Obama kids and dog and the wife's clothes, etc.) but that the public just eats up with a big fat spoon.

The GOP, though, were bullshit--they were like wet hens about it.

[burning rain]

16. Nepotism's not so bad as long as you keep it in the family.

*

[MADem]

9. We don't need to keep dragging people out of the Senate.

Enough, already. I am hoping for a female nominee whose personal heritage includes the Spanish language. I think we need more representation that looks like a substantial segment of America ....and tangentially, will delight a branch of my family, as well.

[usregimechange]

11. He would be completely great but we could lose a Senate seat

[democrat2thecore]

13. Tom Geoghegan! I know it sounds like I've started a campaign tonight

This guy is a simple man, a labor lawyer who has fought for years in the trenches. He would make an impact on the SCOTUS.

[Reterr]

14. yes

:-)

[burning rain]

17. All things being equal, I'd rate him a mighty fine pick.

But all things aren't anywhere near equal given the scandal of having only one female member among nine Supremes. I have to think that the better course for Obama is to choose a female justice from the many well-qualified candidates.

[Occam Bandage]

18. Yes, we should definitely open up the seat of one of our best Senators,

so we can put a con-law lightweight on the Supreme Court. That's a win/win, all right.

[PBS Poll-435]

20. How about Milorad Blagojevich?

:shrug:

Prosecutor, Legislator, Governor.

[elocs]

21. I'd kind of like to keep him as my Senator,

but is picking a person who is the most qualified for a position even allowed by Democrats anymore?

[Mass]

24. No. We need to keep independent voices like that in the Senate.

[Orsino]

25. Be a shame to lose one of the last principled voices in the Senate.

But I could go for a Justice Feingold.