Obama Outlines What He’s Looking for in a Supreme Court Nominee

Seated, from left are, Justice Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Anthony Kennedy, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

“That case was argued on January 11, so they know how Justice Scalia cast his vote in that case and I think the chief justice should give credit to it”, von Spakovsky said.

In that same vein, Republicans like Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley rushed out only hours after news of Justice Scalia’s passing to falsely claim that “over the last 80 years to not confirm Supreme Court nominees during a presidential election year”. Republicans “say “well that’s different” because he had been nominated in 1985 even if he was confirmed in 86″, Obama acknowledged, but, “the notion that there is some two month period in which it all flips and everything shuts down, that is not a credible argument”.

There were times in the history of the court when the court had an even number of justices. “I’m going to do my job”.

Senators should do their job and expeditiously do the right thing in acting on President Obama’s nomination.

President Barack Obama revealed the qualities he is looking for in the Supreme Court justice by posting about it on the SCOTUSblog website.

Obama said that he also looks for someone who understands the limits of the role of the judiciary branch, as one which interprets the law and not makes laws – part of the constitutional system of checks and balances.

The death of a powerful conservative voice on the bench of the country’s highest court threatens to spark a constitutional crisis in the US.

“First and foremost, the person I appoint will be eminently qualified”, Obama writes, adding that he or she must have an excellent record, integrity, an independent mind, rigorous intellect and impeccable credentials.