Yuck. Kagan frequently pushed Clinton to triangulate.

[geek tragedy]

She looks like our Souter.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37119.html

The memos reviewed by POLITICO suggest that, during her time as a White House deputy domestic policy adviser, Kagan fit comfortably within a cadre of Clinton aides known for centrist impulses. And Clinton often appears to have sided with Kagan’s approach.

However, the documents could underscore concerns among some liberal activists that Kagan was an advocate of the policy triangulation of the Clinton White House and thus might not be a reliably liberal vote on the court.

A 1998 memo shows that Kagan was among advisers encouraging Clinton to deny Medicare funding for abortions in cases where a woman's health was at risk – in part to avoid a messy battle with Republicans.

....


Another memo from May 1997 suggests Kagan’s political pragmatism – showing that she encouraged Clinton to endorse an abortion-related legislative proposal by Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) even though it was opposed by abortion rights groups and viewed as unconstitutional by the Justice Department.

Not gonna defend this choice from the right or the left. I wonder how proud Thurgood Marshall would be of her recommending unconstitutional anti-choice legislation.

[Junkdrawer]

1. That's how I read the data to date - The Perfect DLC Justice...

Rule to the Right, jawbone the Left.

[geek tragedy]

2. I was getting to like her as a justice.

Now, I hope her nomination fails.

[zipplewrath]

4. Hard to tell

I'll admit, I was less than thrilled when she was named. There are things to like. The triangulation thing is one of the week points in my view. Alternately, when you think about it, there's little need to triangulate when trying to sway one or 2 justices. I'm not sure it even works on that scale. It's the "middle of the road" mind set that bothers me a bit. The "middle" when the right wing is so far right, is still well to the right.

[IndianaGreen]

3. We elected a DLC Administration

except we thought we very voting for "Change You Can Believe In."

[amborin]

5. +1

[cali]

6. she will vote with Ginsberg, Breyer and Sotomayor on virtually everything

I'd have preferred Wood or some other, but she'll vote with the liberal bloc.

[geek tragedy]

7. I dunno. Everything about her seems to suggest go along to get along. nt

[Junkdrawer]

8. Lessig on DemocracyNow suggested she would be able to "get the fifth vote"...

If that's anything like Obama, that means she'll vote with the conservatives in a vain hope to peal off a conservative vote from time-to-time.

[geek tragedy]

9. Eh. I think Obama has done pretty well considering he needs

people like Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson to get anything passed.

But, I don't like the mentality of accomodation when it comes to being a SCOTUS justice.

[cali]

10. Lessing? I take it you mean Professor Lessig

I doubt very, very much that you'll see her voting with the conservatives. Of course, more than a few of you were convinced that Sotomayor was some sort of stealth conservative too. You were wrong then, and I rather think you're wrong here too.

[Junkdrawer]

11. Beat you to the correction....n/t

[Junkdrawer]

12. Sotomayor has been on the bench for how long?

Seems to me the jury is still out on that one...pun intended.

[MilesColtrane]

13. The Big Dog has never needed any push to compromise.

He's always been about trying to please everybody and be loved by everybody.