When anticipating Obamas upcoming nomination to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, there are two approaches conservatives might consider:
Hope that Obama nominates the most conservative candidate, in case he gets confirmed;
Hope that Obama nominates the most liberal candidate, to highlight Obamas radical ideology and make it easier for Republicans to reject her.
Relatively speaking, the most conservative candidate on Obamas short list is D.C. Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland. The most liberal is Seventh Circuit Appeals Court Judge Diane Wood.
The problem with hoping for a moderate candidate is that anyone Obama is dreaming of nominating would be a disaster as far as adherence to the rule of law and upholding the Constitution.
The problem with hoping for a leftist candidate is that we cannot rely on Republican Senators to be courageous enough to block even the most egregious Obama nomineeeven after the Democrats just declared war by passing a bill taking over the countrys health care system without a single Republican vote.
Given their dismal failure last summer to stand up to Our Wise Latina Sonya Sotomayors incendiary record (typical GOP critique during her confirmation hearings: Lindsey Grahams creepy, drooling paean, I like you!), Republicans cannot be counted on to offer meaningful opposition to whichever train wreck Obama picks this year. read more »