Since everyone else is giving you advice about your next Supreme Court Justice selection, I have no compunction about doing the same.
I hope that, fifteen months into your first term, you have recognized that those people politicians used to call politely "my friends across the aisle" are in fact no friends of yours, and you will get very few if any of their votes for anyone you select for such an important position. I also hope you recognize that it is unlikely you will have 57 Democratic Senators (and the two Independents, although counting on Lieberman for a vote is like counting on the Nationals to win the pennant this year -- that is, iffy) after this fall's elections.
I hope you recognize that no matter who you pick the Republicans are going to fight him or her with all they've got. That being the case, go all in. Pick a good strong qualified liberal to replace Justice Stevens. I like the way this woman argues (2-minute video). Her name is Pamela S. Karlan, and she's currently a professor at Stanford Law School.
Now, there are probably other qualified liberals available; I'm not suggesting Professor Karlan should immediately rise to the top of your list. But I do think you should pick someone with Ms. Kaplan's willingness to call BS on faulty reasoning by the current members of the Supreme Court.
Hat tip, Tapped.
Posted by Linkmeister at April 10, 2010 12:01 AM | TrackBack