Not a Trek reference...just a tired old habit of mine that I've been meaning to break...because I really am over the fiasco in Iowa that sent Biden packing after the first Democratic primary. And, just to prove it, I am going to officially retire that phrase, right here and right now!

No one ever got it, anyway...my own private misery.

I know its a radical concept, having judges who will actually, you know, -- judge. But the desire to avoid accountability and controversy, at all levels of government, is part of what poisons our government. Its especially true for the judiciary, and a big reason as to why our justice system is so broken. Ledbetter v. Goodyear and the recently passed Ledbetter Act are perfect examples.

The media narrative of "empathy" as "dog whistle" rather than good governance is also yet another indicator that they are part of the problem and no part of a solution.

I would bet the farm - even if it’s in Iowa -

Trek reference?? :D

Michale....

Oh, come on people.. Ya'all act like it's only Republicans who oppose SCOTUS nominees.. Need I remind ya'all that it was Democrats in the past 8 years who raised such opposition to a fine art??

This whole thing with the GOP picking apart Obama's words to look for negative hidden meanings only confirms my suspicions that the GOP just don't care about the american people.

And, of course, Democrats NEVER, EVER, NOT ONCE picked apart Bush's words, right?? Oh, that's right. They just made fun of the way Bush talked... :^/

Oh hypocrisy, thy name is Democrat....

As for the meat of the article??

Judge Judy for SCOTUS!

Michale.....

You are so right - I think this Supreme Court battle may be the Republicans' equivalent of the straw that broke the camel's back...Custer's last stand, even. Maybe they have to hit rock bottom before they get back up in the form of another party entirely.

That's exactly what happened in Canada, not too very long ago. Actually, that party was back in power here almost before you could blink an eye. Bad analogy.

Great minds think alike! Of course, fools seldom differ.

But, I think Hillary is an incredibly enlightened choice...and, I mean that sincerely...I'm not trying to be facetious here!

I don't know about you, but it just doesn't seem to me that Hillary has been terribly confortable in her role as SoS.

I have a suggestion as to who might take her place at state, but I wouldn't want to jinx anything...you know, on the odd chance that Hillary really is on her way to the SCOTUS.

...Stan

I'm not entirely sure what it means either. Originally it had a penultimate sentence that said "It's not about the pig, it's about the lipstick," but then I thought about that one and decided it IS about the pig in that metaphor, so I took it out.

I'm hoping for either a Latina or a lesbian. Or a Latina lesbian, that'd work too. But then I'm selfish, because I just want to see Republican heads exploding.

I bet the gay rights supporters would allow Obama to go slower on Don't Ask Don't Tell if he put a lesbian on the court. I think it would be an interesting choice, and a MUCH more interesting political battle.

Like I said, I'm selfish, because all of that would be a lot of fun to write about in the coming months!

But I think you're right, I think it'll definitely be a woman.

Hillary's name has been batted around, what do you think of that as a choice?

-CW

(By the way, did you have a chance to check out any of Senator Kerry’s hearing today on the demise of journalism...that will be some good bedtime listening a little later on!)

I think you might have to explain this to me, though...

“And I mean no disrespect by using "dog whistle" when the group being spoken to in code is women, let me state that right up front. It's no more a slur than calling conservative Democrats "Blue Dogs." Or using the phrase "lipstick on a pig." It's not about the dog, it's about the whistle.”

...I’m not quite sure what all of that means but it made me laugh out loud!

Anyway, whether we are talking about empathy, and who has it, or about dog whistles, and who can hear it, the next nomination to the Supreme court will be a woman or I’m no Biden fan.

Speaking of Biden, you may recall his response to a question about Supreme Court nominations posed by a woman in the audience at one of the 2008 presidential debates...

To paraphrase then Senator Biden...in a Biden administration (or, in this case, an Obama/BIDEN administration...heh heh) the first nomination will be a woman, number one...number two, I would not appoint anyone who did not understand that section 5 and the liberty clause of the 14th amendment provide for the right to privacy. That is the question that Biden would ask of any prospective Supreme Court nominee - if their answer to that question is in the affirmative, then that would be an unambiguous indication of support for Roe v Wade. It was, IMNSHO, the best answer regarding the media’s big gotcha question on ‘abortion rights’ that I have ever heard.

And, last time I checked, Obama and Biden are definitely on the same wavelength!

As for the Republicans and their relishing of the upcoming fight over this nomination - regardless of who the nominee is, apparently...this may very well end up being their collective last gasp. We can hope...or, at least, have a little empathy.