By GottaLaff
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President Obama's lawyers were ready for Judge Stevens' retirement, including a short list of possible replacements:
A decision on who will replace Stevens will be made "in the coming weeks."
Top candidates: Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Judge Diane Wood and Judge Merrick Garland.
"The crucial calculation that Obama will have to make is what kind of political capital he wants to spend on potentially contentious nomination hearings. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have signaled that a candidate with a paper trail on divisive social issues could create a firestorm."
But here's the most intriguing part:
Speaking at the White House, Obama praised Stevens for his "independent mind, record of excellence and integrity, [and] fierce dedication to the rule of law." He pledged to move "quickly" to name a replacement with "a similar mind."
Let's hope by "similar", he means not only intellect, civility, ability to draw support/interact with the other justices, but also so-called "liberal" leanings.
Jonathan Turley:
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