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Sonia Sotomayor: The Next Supreme Court Justice? | 05/01/2009 10:55 am

Will Obama Pick Sonia Sotomayor to Fill Souter's Supreme Court Seat?

Sonia Sotomayor, a Latina judge with 16 years of court experience, seems to be the favorite to replace Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
© Shutterstock

Since David H. Souter announced his plans to retire as a Supreme Court Justice, speculation continues to grow as to whom President Barack Obama will pick to fill the vacancy. Among the most talked-about names on Obama’s purported short list is Sonia Sotomayor.

Sotomayor, a federal judge in Manhattan, first made headlines in 2005 as a possible replacement for Sandra Day O’Connor. Her name sprung up again recently when Ruth Ginsburg was recovering from pancreatic cancer. Now that Obama is in office and has already appointed several women and people of various diversities to his staff, Sotomayor, a Latina woman with 16 years of court experience, seems to rank the best odds to replace the liberal-leaning Souter.

Sotomayor was born in Bronx, NY, in 1954. She was nominated by George H.W. Bush on November 27, 1991, to serve as a judge in the U.S. District Court. She now serves as a judge in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

On April 9, 2009, New York Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand wrote a joint letter to President Obama asking him to appoint a Latino – either Sotomayor or Interior Secretary Ken Salazar — to the Supreme Court if a vacancy should arise. The letter read:

Schumer and Gillibrand said both would make outstanding justices and help ensure that the Supreme Court reflects the full diversity of the nation. This would be the first-ever nomination of a Latino to the Supreme Court. ‘It’s long overdue that a Latino sit on the United States Supreme Court. Sonia Sotomayor and Ken Salazar are two candidates who would make outstanding justices. They have top-notch legal minds, years of experience, moderate approaches to the law and would make history by being the first Latino on the court,’ Senator Schumer said.

While Sotomayor seems to be the apple of many eyes, Politico’s Ben Smith doesn’t think she will be the next Supreme Court Justice:

There’s some basically vacuous, but plausible, conventional wisdom saying that Judge Sonia Sotomayor is a likely pick. I’d suspect, though, that Obama will be tempted to pick one of the prominent legal minds whom he knows personally, and whose philosophy he likes, given his own engagement with legal theory.

19 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

MaryQuiteContrary

As I posted on the Souter thread, this is going to be fascinating to watch evolve.  Obama has made alot of political promises, and carries alot of that baggage with him.  What is he doesn’t chose Sotomayor? Or a woman?  Or a Latino? Or what if he chooses…well, you get the drift. 

The Supreme Court vacancy (and another will be occurring with the state of Justice Ginsburg’s health) should not be a ‘quota’ position, yet for too long diverse views have not been held.  Now, I fear, given the politics of the day, there will be in fighting as to what ‘group’ gets appeased (or dissed as the case may be).  And not necessarily the best legal mind may be chosen. 

Going to be fascinating to watch…

By MaryQuiteContrary on 05/01/2009 11:09 am
deberB
Souter was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, a Republican, but he generally has voted with the liberal wing of the court, so Obama’s appointment of another liberal justice would not shake the ideological makeup of the body. If a conservative justice were retiring, Obama would be in a position to break the deadlock and tilt the court decidedly to the left
By deberB on 05/01/2009 11:24 am
SG3
Whomever he appoints I will guess it will be given a lot of thought.
By SG3 on 05/01/2009 12:11 pm
DeBrcaobj
I am just so very thankful that it is President Obama filling this vacancy, Supreme Court appointments was one of my biggest concerns during the election.
By DeBrcaobj on 05/01/2009 2:02 pm
SG3
Me too:)
By SG3 on 05/01/2009 3:14 pm
SlinkyBinx
It is a big relief.  Whomever they pick, I’m pretty positive it won’t be another "Harriet Miers"…
By SlinkyBinx on 05/01/2009 4:17 pm
rockyrocky
One of the things that concerns me most is that the person President Obama selects is one who has the heart and mind to withstand any and all political pressure on SC decision-making. I don’t think this country could survive another decision like the one made in 2000.
By rockyrocky on 05/01/2009 9:29 pm
darcusgrey1
I second that.
By darcusgrey1 on 05/02/2009 12:43 am
DiamondInTheRough
Whoever he chooses, I certainly hope they don’t have a tax problem!!!
By DiamondInTheRough on 05/01/2009 10:07 pm
LauraWard
Or a nanny problem…
By LauraWard on 05/01/2009 10:35 pm
darcusgrey1
I think Diane Wood wiould be a good choice.
By darcusgrey1 on 05/02/2009 12:46 am
starryNite

 

The right wing is sharping their knives and forks.  They are getting ready for a big fight and will attack anyone who is nominated.  Unless of course it is a white male conservative. Or Ann Coulter.

By starryNite on 05/02/2009 1:47 am
rockyrocky
You are right on target, starry Nite. HuffPo today has three articles on Republican announcements to that effect! Looks like it’s gonna be another big blustering bombastic show the Repubs will drag out for as long as possible … But gotta tell you, ever since Specter’s spectre of "purity" as a goal for his former party, I see everything they do these days in a different scarier light.
By rockyrocky on 05/03/2009 12:46 pm
cajp
I hope it is a lady as we have far too many men, we need another female voice on the bench. No doubt whoever he chooses the good old party of no will be out there again trying to block the nomination
By cajp on 05/02/2009 5:20 pm
LibraLady

Kind of like the fighting that took place when Clarence Thomas was nominated….oh I do remember that one!!!

By LibraLady on 05/02/2009 5:59 pm