President Obama Will Seat Another Justice

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens says he "will surely" retire while President Barack Obama is still in office, giving the president the opportunity to maintain the high court's ideological balance. Thats two and counting, maybe three before it's over. Another liberal, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, had surgery last year for early-stage pancreatic cancer. While Ginsburg has been her usual energetic self, including frequent speaking engagements and a teaching stint in Europe, long-term survival rates for pancreatic cancer are low.

Ginsburg, 77, has said she intends to serve into her early 80s, and she has hired her clerks for the court term that begins in October 2010.

Some possible candidates:

Elena Kagan is the Solicitor General of the United States and former Dean of Harvard Law School. She is widely considered the front-runner for Justice Stevens' spot on the Supreme Court.


Diane Wood is a judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Although Judge Wood boasts impressive credentials, her judicial record on issues such as abortion could potentially be used against her during a confirmation hearing


Merrick Garland is a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to his tenure on the Court, Judge Garland served on the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He is considered among those most ably poised to inherit Justice Stevens's seat on the Court.


Jennifer Granholm is currently the governor of Michigan. Although likely to bring a fresh and pragmatic perspective to the Court, she has yet to express any interest in the position.


Pamela Karlan is the Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law at Stanford Law School. Although widely touted as a potential Supreme Court nominee, her decidedly liberal disposition would likely generate stiff opposition in the Senate.

Kathleen Sullivan is the Stanley Morrison Professor of Law and former Dean of Stanford Law School. Insiders suggest she remains on the short list for a nomination to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, making a Supreme Court nomination unlikely.

Amy Klobuchar is the senior U.S. Senator from Minnesota. The current political climate, Congress' low job approval ratings and the tenuous Democratic majority in the Senate all suggest that Klobuchar, though widely considered a strong choice, is unlikely to be nominated.





The Duchess
-sitting on the side of the bed