Poll: Who would YOU like President Obama's next pick for the Supreme Court to be?

[Tx4obama]

Last edited Sat Jun 1, 2013, 02:17 PM - Edit history (2)

Long list of candidates mentioned in the past here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_Supreme_Court_candidates

Article from 2012 with a list of possibilities here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/30/politics/court-obama-list/index.html

UPDATE: A new article from May 2013 with additional possibilities (some not on the below poll) here: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/05/23/2044771/ten-potential-democratic-supreme-court-nominees-who-arent-named-sri-srinivasan/
(Jane Kelly, Alison Nathan, Deval Patrick, Pam Karlan, Paul Smith, Neal Katyal, Tom Perez)
---

Kathryn Ruemmler, born 1971, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Ruemmler
Goodwin Liu, born 1970, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwin_Liu
Sri Srinivasan, born 1967, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Srinivasan
Paul Watford, born 1967, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Watford
Caitlin Halligan, born 1966 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caitlin_Halligan
Kamala Harris, born 1964, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris
Lisa Madigan, born 1966, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Madigan
Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen, born 1965, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Hong-Ngoc_Nguyen
Harold Hongju Koh, born 1954, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Hongju_Koh
Other

Poll below...

37 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Kathryn Ruemmler
	2 (5%)
	Goodwin Liu
	5 (14%)
	Sri Srinivasan
	3 (8%)
	Paul Watford
	1 (3%)
	Caitlin Halligan
	1 (3%)
	Kamala Harris
	14 (38%)
	Lisa Madigan
	1 (3%)
	Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen
	2 (5%)
	Harold Hongju Koh
	0 (0%)
	Other
	8 (22%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[elleng]

1. Let's give Kamala Harris some more time as an elected public servant.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

14. Our AG will be our next Governor of CA

After Gov. Brown wins a second term, she will run, and will win. IMHO

[elleng]

15. Sounds good to me (here in MD,)

a very good approach to the White House.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

46. Our AG, Doug Gansler, seems to be running for governor as well.

[DrToast]

23. Yup....and then President!

[OmahaBlueDog]

37. No, I think she'll replace Boxer or DiFi

I think Villaraigosa is the next Governor.

[MurrayDelph]

59. I hope not

He was a shitty mayor, and a contributing factor to why this 60-year-old native Californian now lives in Oregon.

[OutNow]

79. Welcome to Oregon

I moved here from Texas, What a change! The people I vote for actually win elections here in Eugene; unlike the 20 years I spent in Texas.

[Mr.Bill]

57. If she goes to the SC,

Gavin Newsom would make an excellent governor.

[BlueCaliDem]

2. Kamala Harris. She's been an excellent

champion against corruption in the banking industry. She stood up against Govern Brown and fought him tooth and nail as he diverted the funds meant for homeowners who lost money and their homes to pay down the state's deficit.

She's young, African-American and Asian-American, and a woman. She would be PERFECT for President Obama's next pick for SCOTUS.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. K&R! Bookmarking until I can read through all this...

Excellent research and extremely informative! Thank you for all your hard work!

[Tx4obama]

6. Thanks :)

[DURHAM D]

5. Kamala Harris does not belong in a robe.

Senator Feinstein is almost 80 and is up for re-election in 2018. Kamala should be in a good position to run for that seat when Feinstein retires.

After that the White House...

[Tx4obama]

7. This is the first time a poll I've posted has gone this long with an 'Other' being posted.

I'm amazed

[bornskeptic]

9. I took care of that.

Kathleen Sullivan or Pamela Karlan. Either will be fine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_S._Karlan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Sullivan

[Hawaii Hiker]

8. Caitlin Halligan

I really hope Sri Srinivasan is not considered for the SCOTUS for 2 reasons....First, its difficult enough for President Obama to get DC Circuit Court confirmations, if we can get someone confirmed there, let's keep them there...Otherwise, the seat is again open and who knows if Obama will be able to fill it, ESPECIALLY if GOP would win the senate next year...Also, i don't think Srinivasan is progressive enough, especially when Senator Cruz sung his prasies at his hearing last week..

[Myrina]

10. Russ Feingold or Elliot Spitzer

n/t

[DFW]

51. That's the sort of person I was thinking of, too.

Or maybe even Van Jones, except that he'd be filibustered into the next presidency.

[Samantha]

72. Yes, I was headed to the bottom of this thread to suggest Feingold

Liberal, exceptionally bright, extremely well educated, just about flawless in my opinion. He is my top choice.

Sam

[usregimechange]

11. What a wonderful problem to have...

[dmosh42]

12. How about Eric Holder, to carry out Obama's 'real' justice!

[NewJeffCT]

13. would love to see Liu

but, Republicans already went batshit crazy when Liu was nominated for a lower court.... I can't imagine they'd suddenly acquiesce if the young Liu was nominated for the Supreme Court where he could sit for 40+ years (he's in his early 40s)

I think one Republican voted against Liu because he was "overqualified"

I'd love to see another woman on the Court as well - so Harris, Madigan, Nguyen, etc would all be good, though I know little about any of them save Harris.

[Chan790]

16. None of them.

Harris is unqualified. Most state AGs are.

Other than that, we need more great legal theorists and thinkers; not necessarily more jurists.

My short list is people like Laurence Lessig, Nadine Strossen, Brian Leiter, Matthew Kramer...

[Tx4obama]

20. Links below with bios for the folks unfamilar with Lessing, Strossen, Leiter, Kramer...

Lawrence "Larry" Lessig, born 1961: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_lessig

Nadine Strossen, born 1950: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadine_Strossen

Brian Leiter, born 1963: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Leiter

Matthew Kramer (no birth year listed): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Kramer

[Xyzse]

17. I don't know any of them...

So I picked the most interesting name.

[Warren DeMontague]

18. Other: John Perry Barlow.

[Tx4obama]

19. John Perry Barlow was born in 1947

John Perry Barlow, bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Perry_Barlow

Interesting read.

Sotomayor was born in 1955 and Elena Kagan in 1960.

I doubt anyone born before 1955 will make it to Obama's next short-list.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. There are probably a bunch of other reasons he wouldn't be chosen, too.

But, a man can dream.

[Ter]

21. Someone who believes in every part of the Constitution

Someone who will truly be an umpire, even if they disagree with the law. Not a liberal or conservative idealist. Someone who hates politics, and votes on what's constitutional or not.

[Tx4obama]

24. A few more names below

Paul Watford http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Watford
Jane Louise Kelly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Louise_Kelly
Alison Nathan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Nathan
Kamala Harris http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris
Goodwin Liu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwin_Liu
Deval Patrick http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deval_Patrick
Pam Karlan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pam_Karlan
Paul M Smith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_M._Smith
Neal Katyal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Katyal
Tom Perez http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Perez

See article here: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/05/23/2044771/ten-potential-democratic-supreme-court-nominees-who-arent-named-sri-srinivasan/

[BlueDemKev]

25. Someone under the age of 45...

...so they'll be there for well over a generation (just like Thomas!).

[Tx4obama]

27. Several of the possible nominees are under 45 or close to it...

Kamala Harris - 48
Jane Louise Kelly - 48
Jacqueline Nguyen - 47
Sri Srinivasan - 46
Caitlin Halligan - 46
Paul Watford - 46
Neal Katyal - 43
Goodwin Liu - 42
Kathryn Ruemmler - 42
Alison J. Nathan - 40

there's a few, I didn't look them all up so there are probably more

[Skink]

26. Obama asks and gets biden to appoint him however he does.

[Tx4obama]

28. Huh?

[former9thward]

29. I am not speaking for the poster ...

but I think he/she means if there were a vacancy Obama could resign and then Biden could appoint him for the job.

[Tx4obama]

31. Oh - okay, that will never happen. But...

... I would love it if 'after' January 2017 when President Obama leaves office the next Democratic president would appoint Obama to the SCOTUS in say 2019 or 2020 (I think Obama should have a couple years off to relax a bit and also work on his presidential library).

[former9thward]

30. I would like him to nominate Laurence Tribe.

He was a professor of Obama's and also taught Kathleen Sullivan and John Roberts. Probably too old but that is who I would want.

[Tx4obama]

32. Yep, he is tad too old - currenlty Tribe is 71 years old. My guess is ...

My guess is that the next nominee will be between the age of 45 - 55.

[Major Hogwash]

33. Well, one name that is not on that list is a person I know that certainly should be considered.

But, he is over 45 years old, so if that is where the age breaks for the next possible choice to be the next justice, that would count him out.

Kamala Harris and Harold Koh are both over 45 years old, by the way.
As are Caitlin Halligan, Lisa Madigan, Sri Srinivasan, Paul Watford, and Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen.

[Tx4obama]

34. What's his name? And no one said the next one would actually be under 45 :shrug:

A previous comment of mine above says that 'my guess' is that the next one will probably be between 45-55.

But the only one that knows for sure is President Obama

[Major Hogwash]

35. I talked to him last year about this, and he said that he would be interested, but doubted . .

. . that his name would even come up.
I've known him for quite a few years and he even ran for Congress once, about 15 years ago.
He is a famous Boise Democrat, who is a very good attorney, and he has worked on several rather famous cases here in Idaho.
There has never been a Supreme Court justice appointed from Idaho.
So, coupled with his political past, he didn't think there was much chance his name would be on President Obama's short list of candidates.
His name is Bill Mauk.

[OmahaBlueDog]

36. Diane Wood

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Pamela_Wood

Diane Pamela Wood (born July 4, 1950) is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School.

Wood was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. When she was young, she moved with her family to Texas, where her mother still lives. Wood graduated with a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin's Plan II Honors program in 1971. She earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1975, where she was an editor of the Texas Law Review, graduated with high honors and Order of the Coif, and was among the first women at the University of Texas admitted as a member of the Friar Society. Wood then clerked for Judge Irving Goldberg of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1975 to 1976 and for Associate Justice Harry Blackmun of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1976 to 1977. She was among the first women to clerk at the Supreme Court.

After working in private practice and the executive branch, Wood became the third woman ever hired as a law professor at the University of Chicago Law School. Wood was nominated to the Seventh Circuit by President Bill Clinton on March 31, 1995. She is considered a liberal intellectual counterweight to the Seventh Circuit's conservative heavyweights, Richard Posner and Frank Easterbrook.

Commentators have called Wood a leading candidate for nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Barack Obama. She was a candidate to replace Justice David Souter when he left the bench in 2009, though that seat went to Sonia Sotomayor. In 2010, she was on the short list of potential nominees to take retiring Justice John Paul Stevens' seat, but that nomination instead went to U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan.

Also, I favor an amendment to the Constitution limiting service on the SCOTUS to 24 years (6 presidential terms). The way it works now, the incentive is to go young, rather than look for a more senior jurist.

[TBF]

74. She's older than most of the folks above but an excellent suggestion. nt

[davidpdx]

38. I don't know much about any of them

But I would prefer someone who is as young as possible and Asian would be nice. Sri Srinvansan was just confirmed. I wouldn't really pick him given how long it took to get a few confirmations through.

Koh would be a possible choice as he is Korean-American (note: I live in Korea and am married to a Korean so I obviously think it would be cool to see someone with Korean heritage on the court). He is close to 60 already so he might have 20-25 years on the bench.

Harris has a sharp mind, though I have to wonder if she has other ambitions like running for governor or senator (once California gets rid of one of their "senators for life&quot . She'd also be a possible presidential candidate some time down the road too. Anyone know what the term limit is on California AG?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

39. We need a black woman on this court. Kamala is not only that. More importantly, she is probably

the MOST qualified on that list.

[Chan790]

42. No state AG is qualified. Bar none.

If she wants to resign and take an appointment to the federal bench or a top post in Justice or a top faculty position in academia to grow her credibility as a legal-theorist it becomes something worth revisiting in 3-5 years.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

45. That makes sense, but didn't Sotomayor come to court with no judicial experience?

I don't think it's a deal breaker.

[Chan790]

47. No, Sotomayor was a long-term federal district-court judge...

6 years on United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and author of several key decisions with an impeccable record of being upheld on appeal.

You're probably thinking of Elena Kagan who was never a judge but had served as the Dean of Harvard Law and was a highly-respected legal theorist, a senior legal adviser to the Office of the President under the Clinton administration, twice nominated to the same DC-circuit seat on the federal bench (both times Judiciary Cmte. Chair Orrin Hatch refused to schedule hearings effectively killing her nomination), Solicitor General for the Obama Administration and had been Thurgood Marshall's law clerk in 1988 and previously clerked for Judge Abner J. Mikva of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

[ellie]

40. I don't know but I hope I live

long enough to see a Native American president, male or female.

[Tx4obama]

41. I hope I live long enough to see 5 females and 4 males on the court. Or at least...

Or at least 5 Democrats and 4 Republicans

Men have ALWAYS dominated the Court.

And the Republicans have held the majority (Republican president appointed seats) since like somewhere around 1972 or before:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_appointment_history_for_United_States_federal_courts#Supreme_Court

[Sunlei]

43. I don't know yet, I wish he could nom. himself :)

[YeahSureRight]

44. Should not the question be 'Who will the Presidents Corporate handlers tell him who to Nominate

Should not the question be 'Who will the Presidents Corporate handlers tell him who to Nominate to the SCOTUS?"

Our current implementation of Government does not allow for the POTUS to make a decision of that magnitude without his backer’s direct say. He will be given a list of acceptable names with the one who will get the seat in the end highlighted but there will be plenty of time for Kabuki Theater and fighting just enough to make it look like democracy in action.

It is a done deal already, we are just not privy to whom it will be.

[Doctor_J]

48. Or, "someone who the far right Senate will be happy with"

that's what it will end up being

[stevenleser]

49. Need two polls. Who would you like to see on the court, and who out of those who can be confirmed...

I've actually had the chance to talk with Caitlin Halligan, she is terrific. Of course, the Repugs successfully filibustered her confirmation for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit so the chances of her getting confirmed for SCOTUS is probably close to zero.

She would be great in either spot, but we can't get her confirmed.

I'm curious about Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen. I like the idea of an asian woman on the SCOTUS.

[warrprayer]

50. This Guy

[forestpath]

52. As long as they're not pro-torture, pro-bank, anti-labor, etc.

I don't really care.

But this is Obama and he's made it clear lately that those types are his preferred candidates.

[Mr Samuel Hain]

53. Bill Maher

Because the Court needs to be taken down a few pegs.

[Kablooie]

54. Diana Ross?

[ruggerson]

55. Pam Karlan and Kathleen Sullivan are both constitutional scholars

Most of the others listed in the op are not.

I'm also fine with Goodwin Liu

[graham4anything]

56. Judge Srinivasan will most likely be the 1st.

sorry I did not see this thread earlier.

Judge Srinivasan will most likely be the 1st.
Srikanth Srinivasan who was just confirmed with a 97-0 vote to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
(after a major threat by Harry Reid if he wasn't confirmed, and with Senator Lautenberg coming on what was his sick bed in his final days to be there)
The common feeling is, two democratic choices will be the first to retire, while President Obama is in office.

And then the next few justices to retire would all be republican and those would be the big ones to change the entire nation.


(I have already said I am hoping the next democratic president name President Obama for one of those seats, especially to finally
have a great replacement for Justice Marshall.)

There are great choices above. Deval Patrick (should he not be picked for VP), is a great choice.

[DevonRex]

58. I love 2 for completely different reasons. Kamala Harris because I know exactly

what she believes. And Sri Srinivasan because I love his thinking process.

[DFW]

60. Good things come in small packages

He's not a professional jurist, but that is not a requirement to serve on the Court, so......

Bob Reich

[Rectangle]

61. Barney Frank!!

1st LGBT SC justice AND
It would irritate Scalia so much he'd quit

win, win, win

[BlueDemKev]

62. A staunch liberal who's in good health and is under 45 years of age.

[FSogol]

63. Other: FSogol of course.

[cgrissomb]

64. Deval Patrick will get the nod.

EOT

[Tx4obama]

65. Abraham Lincoln appointed FIVE Supreme Court Justices

I think it would awesome if President Obama has the opportunity to do the same

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Supreme_Court_Justices

[Parable Arable]

66. That would be great....

But the bloodbath that would come with the confirmation hearings (especially if it's Scalia's or Kennedy's seat on the line) would be more brutal than any of the previous ones that this administration has had to deal with.

[DFW]

67. Probably so, but brinig them on anyway

At least as long as we hold a majority in the Senate.

[davidpdx]

84. I don't think he'll get to 5

Three is a strong bet, four outside chance. With Ginsberg holding on we'd have to hope the Conservatives drop dead. I'm hoping the next one gone will be Scalia.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

68. I don't care who it is...

Just so long as the purpose is to replace the late Justice Scalia.

[Arkana]

69. Harris. Unfortunately, she'd never get past the vultures in the Senate.

Those assholes will turn back anyone with progressive bonafides.

[davidpdx]

83. +1

I agree with you on that one. The day that happens let the grave walking begin.

[Xyzse]

70. Sri Srinivasan

Extra points for their name.

I mean, being able to say Justice Srinivasan is just plain awesome.

[Kablooie]

71. Diana Ross comes to mind.

[damonm]

73. I said "Other"...

...because I want Bill Clinton nominated.
Just to watch conservative heads explode all over the country.

[polichick]

75. A true blue liberal.

[forestpath]

82. +1000

[yourout]

76. Other...Hillary Clinton for many reasons.

[leveymg]

78. Yup.

[DebJ]

81. If Hillary or Bill, Republican heads would literally be exploding.

Can you just picture Lumbaugh?

[d_b]

77. some socially liberal

corporate friendly turd.

[Tx4obama]

80. A July 4, 2013 regarding Justice Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Resists Retirement Pressure

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/04/ruth-bader-ginsburg-retirement_n_3545678.html

------

Excerpt from the OP link:

-snip-

She has previously said she wanted her tenure to at least match the nearly 23 years of Justice Louis Brandeis, which would get her to April 2016, and said she had a new "model" in Justice Stevens, who retired at age 90 after nearly 35 years on the bench.

-snip-

---


On the issue of tenure...

Justice Louis Brandeis was on the Supreme Court of the United States from June 1, 1916 – February 13, 1939 - 22 years, 8 months, 2 weeks

Justice Ginsburg has been on the Supreme Court since August 10, 1993. As of today: 19 years, 10 months
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Supreme_Court_Justice#Current_justices

So, if she wants to beat his tenure then she couldn't retire until the end of April 2016

That would still leave enough time for President Obama's to appoint a new justice and get him/her confirmed before he leaves office January 20, 2017.

I really do hope she considers retiring in 2016 - because if a republican takes the White House we will be screwed!

[Joe Bacon]

85. Alan Grayson

Just the thought of that should trigger a heart attack in Fat Tony!