Justice Souter to retire

[1979Shocker]

Souter to retire from Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - Supreme Court Justice David Souter plans to retire, after more than 19 years on the court, once the current term ends in late June, NBC News reported Thursday night.

A retirement by Souter, 69, would give President Barack Obama his first chance to nominate a justice and the next few months would bring Senate confirmation hearings. His departure, however, isn't likely to change the court's liberal-conservative composition, because his successor will almost certainly be moderate to liberal, NBC News correspondent Pete Williams reported.

[wu_shizzle]

A real disappointment to the 1st Bush administration that claims to cry when he thinks of the Bush v. Gore decision.

He writes with a fountain pen and does not use email, has no cell phone, no answering machine, and no television. He prefers to drive back to New Hampshire for the summer and has never married.

So with 60 votes in the Senate, does PBO nominate William Ayers?

[BenWSU]

Sounds like a unabomber lifestyle mentality.

Wonder how he could ever rule on cases that dealt with the internet, email, text messages with him not even using them ???

[SubGod22]

Possible replacement? I sure as hell hope not.

[SB Shock]

Possible replacement? I sure as hell hope not.

The one thing the Specter defection did is make possibly harder for Obama nomination to get out of the Judiciary committee. At least one republican has to vote yes (unless of course the Demcrats change the rules).

Specter was seen as the most likely member to vote with the Democrats.

Republican members are now Orrin Hatch (Utah), Charles Grassley (IA), Jon Kyl (AZ), Jeff Sessions (AL), Lindsey Graham (SC), John Cornyn (TX) and Tom Coborn (OK)

[WuDrWu]

Possible replacement? I sure as hell hope not.

Yikes. William Ayers looking good.......

[jdmee]

At the same time, he said, "I will seek someone who understands that justice isn't about some abstract legal theory or footnote in a case book. ..... I view that quality of empathy, of understanding and identifying with people's hopes and struggles as an essential ingredient for arriving at just decisions and outcomes."

You got to be kidding me. He want a judge that will sit on the bench and say "I know the law is against you, but because of your hopes and struggles its ok?"

[BenWSU]

Obama worried more about the psychological makeup of the persons bringing cases to the court and the psychological impact than he is about following the law as it written.

Don`t forget folks: Obama was a constitutional law professor. 8)

[Maggie]

Sadly, President (or Professor) Obama needs a refresher course in Constitutional Law and in general jurisprudence. When he sanctimoniously states that he will nominate judges that show a capacity for “empathy” for the litigants when deciding cases before them, it seems to me to be the antithesis of what one would want in a Supreme Court Justice or from any Court for that matter.

Simply put – “empathy” is something you hope your elected representatives have when they pass laws. A Court’s role is to interpret and apply those laws without “empathy” toward particular litigants.

Why else would “Lady Justice” be blindfolded?

[RoyalShock]

Sounds like a way to institute a U.N. mentality among our nations highest court, when that spirit is already there (Ginsberg).

I am not amused.

[WuDrWu]

I am reminded by a line that goes something like "He is the damned dumbest smart person I know".

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

I am reminded by a line that goes something like "He is the damned dumbest smart person I know".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbQGxOG890c

[wu_shizzle]

Sometimes the "Big Guy" is the "Good Guy"

I heard someone say the other day that the smallest and least protected "minority" is the individual.

Without protecting "Individual" rights, we are not looking out for the smallest minority.

[SubGod22]

Obama's High Court Shortlist Includes Napolitano (Not Andrew), Granholm

[WuDrWu]

I don't understand how anyone, based upon her performance so far, could seriously consider Janet Napolitano.

She is an embarrassing public official. She may have a good heart, I have no idea, but I can promise you she is not qualified to hold a position with that much at stake.

I may not "know it when I see it", but I certainly "know when it's not, when I see it".


This is getting progressively worse every day.