Obama will name a Supreme Court replacement with a "similar mind"

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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GOP files suit to block temporary Kennedy replacement Kirk

By GottaLaff

Obstructionism! It's not just for blocking White House nominees any more!

After failing in their bid to stop the Massachusetts legislature from giving Democratic Governor Deval Patrick the power to fill a United States Senate vacancy, Republicans are going to court on Friday to try to prevent the governor’s interim pick from taking office.

On the same day that Patrick chose Paul Kirk, a long-time friend and associate of Ted Kennedy to temporarily replace the late senator, Republicans filed court papers arguing that Patrick’s use of an emergency declaration paving the way for the nomination was unconstitutional. Because most Massachusetts laws do not go into effect for 90 days, Patrick had to issue the declaration so that the just-passed legislation allowing him to name a replacement senator could take effect immediately.

A hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction against Patrick is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Friday in Suffolk County Superior Court — several hours before Kirk is scheduled to be sworn in to office.

Several legal experts familiar with Massachusetts constitutional law said Republicans could face an uphill battle in seeking to delay or invalidate the governor’s appointment. [...]

Lawrence M. Friedman, a professor at New England Law in Boston who studies Massachusetts constitutional issues, predicted that the GOP challenge was unlikely to succeed.

“The court will treat it seriously and I expect given the gravity of the issue, it might even work its way to the Supreme Judicial Court,” Friedman said in an interview. “But in my opinion it’s unlikely that the judiciary is going to second guess the governor’s reasons for an emergency.”

Friedman added: “In a way it’s a political question and if the governor made a bad call, the voters will take it out on him in the next election.”

After reviewing the injunction, Marc Perlin, an associate dean and professor at Suffolk University Law School, agreed that there was little chance Republicans would be able to stop the appointment.

There go those contradictory Rushpublics again, filing more of the very lawsuits they claim to despise so much.

Hyp. O. Crites.

Vicki Kennedy not interested

By GottaLaff

There's about to be a news conference from Deval Patrick on the date of a special election to replace Ted Kennedy, but meanwhile:

The trial balloon launched yesterday by Sen. Christopher Dodd and Sen. Orrin Hatch quickly deflated.

A "solid source" tells George Stephanopoulos that Vicki Kennedy won't run in a special election to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat and she's not interested in an interim appointment if it becomes available.

Meanwhile, all eyes turn to Joe Kennedy...

Two Senators Back Vicki Kennedy for Husband's Seat

By GottaLaff

It's happened before, if you remember... not far-fetched to think it couldn't happen again:

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) -- two of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's closest friends in the Senate -- said on CNN they thought his widow, Vicki, would be a good temporary replacement for him if Massachusetts legislators change the law to allow an interim appointment.

Said Dodd: "We talk frequently. Whatever Vicki wants to do, I'm in her corner. She knows that. She has expressed to me her own reluctance to do that. But she could change her mind. And if she did I'm for it. I think she'd be great, I think Orrin's right, she brings talent and ability to it... we can certainly use her in the Senate. But leave it up to her. She has a lot on her mind right now. And, frankly, I leave it up to her decision-making process."

Said Hatch: "Sure, I think Vicki ought to be considered. She's a very brilliant lawyer. She's a very solid individual. She certainly made a difference in Ted's life, let me tell you. And I have nothing but great respect for her."

East Wing Shakeup: First Lady Gets New Chief of Staff

By GottaLaff

After that whole "Inside the White House" special, where everyone seemed so happy and busy, we discover that there has been a, well, change:

First lady Michelle Obama has replaced her chief of staff, Jackie Norris, with a longtime friend from Chicago, Susan Sher.

The announcement of the East Wing shakeup was made by press release this afternoon without giving any indication of what had prompted the change only a few months into the administration.

Norris, a former top aide to President Obama in Iowa during the campaign, leaves to become a senior adviser to the Corporation for National and Community Service, according to a press release from the White House.

Her statement can be found here.

In her own statement, Michelle Obama called Norris a "a colleague and friend since the earliest days" and praised her for building "a strong organization in the East Wing."

But she noted that Sher is "a trusted advisor, longtime mentor and friend dating back to my work at the City of Chicago and later the University of Chicago."

Keith Olbermann repeats stay; no new MSNBC shows planned

By GottaLaff

No Ed Schultz. No Young Turks. No Sam Seder. No nobody... well, except Keith:

MSNBC will continue airing Keith Olbermann's talk show twice each weeknight in prime time, putting on indefinite hold a search for a new 10 p.m. program.

That time slot has attracted attention ever since MSNBC chief executive Phil Griffin suggested earlier this year he was on the lookout for a new show. Fans of the Internet show "The Young Turks" and of Air America's Sam Seder have openly campaigned for their favorites.

MSNBC currently reruns Olbermann's "Countdown" show only an hour after its original airing ends. It trails Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren and CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" in the ratings, but MSNBC executives have been surprised at its showing. [...]

MSNBC may give up entirely on the idea of putting a new live show in that time slot, Griffin said. [...]

NBC News has a big financial incentive to keep things the way they are. It costs the network nothing to show the rerun, while a new program would cost millions of dollars for on-air talent and production costs.

I'm a little relieved. My erratic DVR is a little relieved. And with money being as tight as it is, I'm sure MSNBC is a little relieved.

Vacancy on the Supreme Court?

By GottaLaff

Let the guessing games begin:

Seth Stern notes Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hinted there could soon be an open seat on the Supreme Court.

During a Friday appearance, Ginsburg said during a question and answer session that the nine justices only take a group picture when a new member is added, noting, "We haven't had any of those for some time, but surely we will soon."

Since Ginsburg recently said she isn't going anywhere, was she referring to Justices David Souter or John Paul Stevens?

Why couldn't it be Thomas or Scalia? Why? Why? Why??

UPDATE-- George Stephanopoulos takes a guess:

Here's my question: what are the chances that Obama DOESN'T pick Sonia Sotomayor?

In her favor, she was appointed to the federal bench by George H.W. Bush. Elevated to the Appeals Court by Bill Clinton. She's a protégé of Daniel Patrick Moynihan and a prosecutor with Robert Morgenthau. Graduate of Princeton and Yale after growing up in the South Bronx.

And, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic Justice on the Supreme Court bench.

Denver schools superintendent Michael Bennet to replace Ken Salazar

By GottaLaff

Photo by Linda McConnell

MSNBC just reported the following:

Denver Public Schools superintendent Michael Bennet is expected to be named Saturday as the future U.S. Senate replacement for Interior Secretary nominee Ken Salazar, according to two Democratic sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to name his U.S. Senate replacement pick on Saturday, ending a brief but frenzied period of speculation about who will take the seat of Interior Secretary nominee Ken Salazar. [...]

The selection would be preliminary, since Salazar is not expected to resign his U.S. Senate seat until sometime after Jan. 15, when he faces a confirmation hearing — and later vote — to become President-elect Barack Obama's first Interior Secretary.

More here.

Three top contenders for Rahm Emanuel's House seat

By GottaLaff

And the Top 3 are ::drum roll::...

Three top contenders have emerged for the seat of Rep. Rahm Emanuel, who is leaving Congress Friday.

By some counts, there are as many as 18 people who are at least considering a run, but State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley and former Transportation Security Administration official Justin Oberman appear to be the three leading candidates.[...]

All three, he said, have reputations as progressives, which could help them with an electorate likely to be incensed at the political establishment after the arrest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) and the chaos that ensued. [...]

Among the other candidates believed to seek the seat are Alexander Victor Forys, a physician focused on healthcare reform; Charles J. Wheelan, a public policy professor; Chicago nightclub owner Joey Vartanian; art foundation manager Israel Vasquez, Cary Capparelli, a local businessman and son of a former State Representative; Jan H. Donatelli, a former Delta Airlines pilot and recent Obama campaign activist.

However, those mentioned in that last 'graph aren't expected to get too far:

“There’s tier one [Laffy Note: The Top 3], then there’s everybody else,” said Eric Adelstein, a Democratic consultant in Chicago, who ran the race of Rep. Melissa Bean, among others.

And then there's this:

Not long after Emanuel announced that he was taking the job, there were reports that he would want the seat back after serving in the White House for two years. Emanuel firmly denies that, but it shaped the early field.

Since then, the maneuvering has been notable for the lack of endorsements and shows of force from outside influences. No one has emerged as a labor candidate in one of the most labor-friendly districts in Illinois. Emanuel and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley have not endorsed and observers do not expect them to.

Here's the "when":

Illinois already has a primary scheduled for Feb. 24 and a general election on April 7.

Shallow Thoughts: Meet the Press edition

By GottaLaff

I'm still reeling from these imbecilic, yet frightening, remarks by Bush. And I continue to be impressed by Obama. Speaking of which, here comes today's Shallow Thought:

How is it Obama can fill a Cabinet faster than NBC can replace Tim Russert?

That was today's Shallow Thought. Thank you for wading in.