Every Justice Creates a New Court (Linda Greenhouse) from the New York Times
Along with Nina Totenberg on NPR, Greenhouse is one of the most informed and fair-minded analysts of the SCOTUS.
"In a group of nine people bound together by daily ritual and by the need to round up a sufficient number of like-minded colleagues to get anything done, the substitution of one personality for another matters in real life more than it might seem to matter on paper."
Sotomayor Headed for Easy Supreme Court Nomination (Mark Halperin) from Time Magazine
"The media and conservative activists might be spoiling for a Supreme Court nomination battle, but the choice of Circuit Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill a high court vacancy is a classic Obama decision that makes the chances of political smooth sailing a near lock. Obama was clearly inspired by his selection, but he just as obviously kept an eye on the politics of his pick."
What the Sotomayor Pick Says About Obama from Politico
"Like the president who picked her, Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court manages to be both historic and conventional."
How, Why Obama Picked Sotomayor from Politico
"Obama showed he was willing to pick a fight with his choice — Republicans do not consider her a “consensus” choice and had telegraphed that they considered her the most liberal of the four finalists. "
Obama's Pick, From the Start (Marc Ambinder) from the Atlantic
"In November, a few days after he was elected President, Barack Obama convened some of his most trusted advisers in a private meeting for an even more closely-held topic. He wanted to talk about the Supreme Court. Obama arrived, armed with a list of judges and academic he wanted his team to consider. At the top of the list, according to someone with direct knowledge of the meeting, was Judge Sonia Sotomayor."
Playing the SCOTUS Long Game from True/Slant
"If anything, the President wants Republicans to engage him in a fight over Sotomayor. He wants his opponents to cast aspersions on an Hispanic woman whose life story is classic Americana. "
Obama's Choice of Sotomayor Deserves Praise (Glenn Greenwald) from Salon
ASTONISHING!! Praise for Obama from Glenn Greenwald! Like, is this a first?!
"This nomination should be judged principally on two grounds: (1) her judicial opinions (which Scotusblog's Tom Goldstein comprehensively reviews here here) and (2) her answers at her confirmation hearing. But based on everything that is known now, this seems to be a superb pick for Obama."
Disparate Group United in Pride: the Latino Reaction from the Washington Post
"For at least a few hours yesterday, America's largest ethnic minority seemed largely united in appreciation of a historic benchmark. At 10:17 a.m., President Obama nominated Sotomayor, ..., to become the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. Most of the country's 45 million Hispanics knew little or nothing about her, but those who heard of her appointment shared a collective reaction: Finally. One of us."
What's a Liberal Justice Now? (Jeffrey Rosen) from the New York Times
"Obama has suggested that liberals in the Warren Court mold may have placed too much trust in the courts and not enough in political activism. “I wondered,” he writes in his book “The Audacity of Hope,” alluding to Senate battles over George W. Bush’s court appointments, “if in our reliance on the courts to vindicate not only our rights but also our values, progressives had lost too much faith in democracy.”"
Testy NoKos (Joe Klein) from Time Magazine
"There is all sorts of hand-wringing going on today about North Korea's nuclear explosion, which the Washington Post says is a test of the Obama Administration's engagement policy. It isn't."
Patraeus Endorses Obama's Plans to Close GIMO, End Torture from Huffington Post
"General David Petraeus said this past weekend that President Obama's decision to close down Gitmo and end harsh interrogation techniques would benefit the United States in the broader war on terror."
Former Interrogator Rebukes Cheney for Torture Speech from the Huffinton Post
"Alexander, who uses a pseudonym for security reasons, was a 14-year military interrogator who oversaw more than a thousand interrogations and conducted more than 300 in Iraq himself."
US Unveils $4 Billion Plan to Upgrade Public Housing as Part of Green Jobs Project from the Guardian [of London]
Here again is WHY I voted for this guy -- the urban president who males big investments like this! Don't hold your breath waiting for the MSM in the US to cover this story.
"Renovation scheme will replace windows, insulation and light bulbs in ageing and neglected low-income housing stock."
Colin Powell's Truths (Michael Gerson) from the Washington Post
"It is Powell to whom Republicans should be listening. A party more focused on excommunication than proselytization is in trouble. And Powell is calling attention to some unavoidable truths."
The Incoherence of American Conservatism (Andrew Sullivan) from the Atlantic
"It is becoming even clearer to me since the last election, as some of the clutter has been swept away. Conservatism has to mean resistance to expansive government power if it is to endure as anything vaguely coherent as a governing philosophy."
Commentary: GOP's Politics of Fear Hinder GITMO Closing from the McClatchy News Service
"Some politicians seek office by attempting to inspire voters. Others use another tactic. They know that there is nothing as effective as fear for paralyzing the brains of the public. And they depend on that fact to stay in power or to defend their record once they leave it."
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