I bet Obama nominates a moderate

[davidn3600]

Any liberal nominee will be blocked, regardless of the political implications. It's just not going to happen. Simple as that.

If Obama wants a 3rd pick and a legacy on the court, he'd pick someone that has more than a snowball's chance in hell to win confirmation. A moderate might make enough Republicans cross over to push it through. Politically, it would also put the GOP in a box if they block a moderate who isn't controversial.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Well, yeah....

You do realize that the term "liberal judge" is not just a RW thought virus, it's an oxymoron.

Judges are by nature conservative. The trick comes when you determine how conservative the judge in question is, among things like how religious they are. I'll take a real moderate if Obama can squeeze one through. Too much of the court is far, far right, ultra-conservative.

I'm hoping for a non-Catholic judge.

[treestar]

2. Better than Scalia

Almost impossible not to be.

[CincyDem]

3. Anybody who BHO nominates that breaths air will be blocked...

Hell, he could nominate ted cruz, louis gomert, or mike lee...and they'd get held up "just because".


...this is where he needs to put a stake in the ideological ground and say "this is what the future can be". I'm in the group that says moderates are just conservatives who haven't had to take a stand yet.

All that said, my fear is that you are right. I can't remember the last president that got 3 justices in so maybe he decides the hat trick is worth it.

But this is not a time for him to have a false sense of potential compromise.

[d_b]

4. Nominate another hispanic

there's your October surprise.

[oberliner]

5. Scalia was confirmed 98-0

Perhaps the Senate will return the favor with whomever Obama nominates?

[Lizzie Poppet]

6. That's the only chance of a confirmation before the election/inauguration.

In fact, if the nominee isn't quite clearly an "individual right" type regarding the 2nd Amendment, then they will be blocked, period. No "collective right" advocate has a chance.