Two Out Lesbians Considered for Supreme Court

[usregimechange]

Pam Karlan (left), a Stanford University law professor, is one of two out lesbians rumored to be on Obama's list to replace Supreme Court Justice David Souter, who is due to retire this spring.

Kathleen Sullivan (right), the out former dean of Stanford Law School, has also been frequently mentioned as a possible replacement for Souter.

Karlan told Politico.com in an e-mail, "It's no secret at all that I'm counted among the LGBT crowd" and acknowledged that she is one of many names in the ring. "Given the landscape, I'm flattered, but not fooled, by having my name tossed around," she added.

Karlan is the founding director of Stanford's Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, which allows students to litigate live cases. She has also long advocated for the LGBT community. A Yale graduate, she has served as an assistant counsel and attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In 2003 she wrote a law professors' amicus brief in Lawrence v. Texas, the landmark case that overturned remaining state laws against consensual sodomy.

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid82801.asp

[Merlot]

1. I don't care if the next SCJ is gay, but I'd love to hear the arguments of

the repubs if one was nominated. Because just when you think they can't out-do themselves, they come up with a new boatload of inane blathering which just sinks them deeper.

So I say lets find that lesbian/hispanic/muslim nominee and get plenty of popcorn!

[Hepburn]

29. Gawd...

...if that happens, I am buying stock in EVERY popcorn company I know of!

:hi:

[madamesilverspurs]

32. If you could find that "lesbian/hispanic/muslim nominee"

working at the ACLU, imagine the massive brain splatter over at Faux News. . .


gigglesnort!

[rurallib]

2. gawd that would make the gooper heads pop!

even Massa Rush might pop an ass pimple.

[liberal N proud]

3. The right wing and their media machine will go nutz

But it would be envelope pushing change for sure.

[SharonRB]

4. I would so love to see Republican heads exploding all over the country

if he were to name one of them.

[CEDAWrocks]

7. Forget about Repubs -- think how Scalia would react! :-)

I can not tell you how much I'd pay to see an openly gay lesbian named as Supreme Court Justice. It would be even better if the new justice was quite outspoken. Imagine the clashes during oral arguments between Scalia and his younger nemisis! It might be enough to convince Scalia to retire! Gawd wouldn't that be great. :party:

[asjr]

10. It would give Scalia

a heart attack.

[Jakes Progress]

46. Reason enough right there.

Hey, it's worth a shot. For the good of the country.

[Elwood P Dowd]

5. Between the repukes and the blue dogs, I doubt either would be confirmed.

I just don't see it right now.

[itsrobert]

6. Rachel Maddow

Would be an excellent choice.

[Clio the Leo]

13. As long as she can keep doing her show, YES!

Put Keith, Ed and Tweety up there too...... JUST for my enjoyment! :)

And make Shuster Speaker of the House! lol

[AllentownJake]

8. Freerepublic had a thread

About Senator Session saying that a person's sexuality is not a litmus test Judiciary hearing.

I won't post what they were saying as it might be hurtful to my brother's and sisters in the LGBT community.

[usregimechange]

9. The bigots are out in force are they?

[AllentownJake]

11. Big time and they want Session to join the Democratic party like Specter

because of it.

All though there were a very few that said I don't care if they are gay as long as they are gay conservative...the rest mostly Leviticusbating.

[usregimechange]

12. They want Sessions out? Is George Wallace now too far left?

[SpartanDem]

15. They probably never forgave Wallace

for apologizing for his actions during the civil rights era.

[AllentownJake]

16. It's quite frightning over there

I hope the government is watching them.

[ruggerson]

14. This is not going to happen

and while I'm sure these two women are flattered that their names are being bandied around in the media, it is a rather transparent attempt at good publicity: "see how progressive we are on these issue - we even have two lesbians on our list!"

If this administration was going to be politically courageous on this issue, there would have been at least one openly gay cabinet appointment.

There wasn't.

I think Pres Obama is cautious on gay issues, I believe his heart is generally in the right place, but he fears the mythic backlash that he and his advisors think would come if he went out on a limb.

Putting it bluntly, he is not willing to risk political capital on this.

I will eat my hat if either of these two women are nominated and will joyfully admit that I was wrong.

And, yes, I know I'm a cynic.

[kestrel91316]

17. Hey, that could work. Put an openly lesbian woman on the SC, then when

Scalia and Thomas and Alito and Roberts all have heart attacks or massive strokes as a result, we can REALLY pack the court.

I say go for it.

[StevieM]

48. Self-delete. I meant to post this below. (eom)

[MADem]

18. How old are they? They both look young (or maybe I'm just old).

They both have impressive resumes. And they're both a nice break from the usual "judge on the bench" that they toss up there.

[xchrom]

19. BWAAAAHAAAAHAAAAA!!! -- and i read on DU there weren't

any OUT gay people for obama to consider.

:rofl:

[hulklogan]

26. Why couldn't he have found a couple of closeted lesbians to consider??!?

:sarcasm:

[Lilith Velkor]

31. Our kind is bound to be very unhappy no matter who it is.

I read that on DU, too.

[elleng]

20. This is fine, but as NEWS, sure won't help them be selected.

Hope this doesn't cause Prez O problems.

[xchrom]

21. well -- they better get back in the closet where they belong then.

might cause prez o problems.

:eyes:

[elleng]

23. Nice of you.

:thumbsdown:

[xchrom]

25. how nice of you to intimate that being out -- which isn't news if you are gay --

will cause prez o problems.

that's actually homophobic.

[elleng]

27. Rather, its realistic,

in this country, at this time.

[hulklogan]

30. What happened to just nominating the best candidate?

Or does it only matter if that person is an LGBT American?

[elleng]

34. Best Candidate is the way to go.

.

[ruggerson]

33. I guess you don't live in New England

where you are in the minority.

[elleng]

35. 'I' am in the minority?

How is that?

fyi, I grew up in NYC, and live in MD, near DC now. But this discussion is NOT about me, regardless of the way some might want to frame it. I guess the point I tried to make, that is that naming an 'out' person would or might cause political problems for the President, is not a discussion that some want to have.

[ruggerson]

38. I'm perfectly willing to have the discussion

see my comment #14 above

[xchrom]

41. the last resort of an unintelligent, and bigoted POV.

republicans say much the same when they oppose a subject, proposal, nominee.

[elleng]

47. Yes, calling people names.

Argumentum ad hominem (argument directed at the person). This is the error of attacking the character or motives of a person who has stated an idea, rather than the idea itself. The most obvious example of this fallacy is when one debater maligns the character of another debater (e.g, "The members of the opposition are a couple of fascists!"), but this is actually not that common. A more typical manifestation of argumentum ad hominem is attacking a source of information -- for example, responding to a quotation from Richard Nixon on the subject of free trade with China by saying, "We all know Nixon was a liar and a cheat, so why should we believe anything he says?" Argumentum ad hominem also occurs when someone's arguments are discounted merely because they stand to benefit from the policy they advocate -- such as Bill Gates arguing against antitrust, rich people arguing for lower taxes, white people arguing against affirmative action, minorities arguing for affirmative action, etc. In all of these cases, the relevant question is not who makes the argument, but whether the argument is valid.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5609407&mesg_id=5609407

[Starbucks Anarchist]

22. Being black meant Obama wouldn't get elected.

Oh, wait...

[Lisa0825]

24. I think either of them would be AWESOME!!! nt

[bleever]

28. K&R for their being included in the national conversation about the vacancy.

Even if they're not chosen, it's great that they aren't out of the question because of a label.

[supernova]

36. Either of them would be fabulous!

I would pay to see Scalia's and Roberts' heads explode.

:-)

[elshiva]

37. K&R for my sisters. Just being out there and considered is progress.

:fistbump:

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dsc]

40. Do you have the same problem with the fact all six are women

[rvablue]

42. If you're so concerned about equality, take a look at the court: it's 3/4 straight white males.

So, equality -- true equality -- has not yet "swung both ways" on the Supreme Court.

And the President is not an idiot like our last one who tried to appoint one of his unqualified groupies to the SCOTUS.

President Obama is a constitutional scholar and professor and will only be picking a very highly qualified person.

[tekisui]

43. And 5 Catholics.

[bicentennial_baby]

44. It's not sexual "preference", it's orientation

Got it?

[Lex]

45. So then 2/3 are straight. Maybe their "sexual preference" is being considered more strongly

following your train of thought.

Perhaps, PERHAPS, it's their qualifications that are being considered. Ever think of that?

[StevieM]

49. I think Pamela Karlan would make an outstanding Justice. I hope Obama gives her proper

consideration and doesn't disqualify her due to her sexual orientation.

Steve

[Hekate]

50. It's a good bet that he asked for her (and the others) to be on the list....

Even if he didn't supply all the names of those being vetted, I'm sure he made a list of what qualifications and character traits he wanted in his candidates.

Unlike Baby Caligula, President Obama seems to know most of what's going on in his administration.

Hekate