Possible Supreme Court Nominees

The President has an opening on the Supreme Court. There are more than a few qualified African Americans that could take that spot.

First possible nominee is Leah Ward Sears.



W.E.E. See You did an absolutely fabulous profile of Judge Sears.

Leah Ward Sears (born June 13, 1955) is an American jurist and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Georgia. Sears was the first African-American female Chief Justice in the United States. When she was first appointed as justice in 1992 by then-Governor Zell Miller, she became the first woman and youngest person to sit on the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Early life and education

Leah Ward Sears was born in Heidelberg, Germany to United States Army Colonel Thomas E. Sears and Onnye Jean Sears. The family eventually settled in Savannah, Georgia, where she attended and graduated from high school.

Sears received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in 1976, her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law in 1980, and a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1995. At Cornell, Sears was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated[1] and the Quill and Dagger society. She holds honorary degrees from Morehouse College, Clark-Atlanta University, LaGrange College, Piedmont College, and Spelman College.

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Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the United States Supreme Court

--- STACEY ILYSE/AFP/Getty Images

YEAHS 68
NAYS 31

The first Hispanic and only the 3rd woman on the Supreme Court.

Congratulations, Justice Sotomayor

Sotomayor for The Supreme Court

Seems as if it will be Sonia Sotomayor for The Supreme Court.

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It was just yesterday that the NYT was reporting that Obama had narrowed down his list to 4 women; Kagan, Napolitano, Wood, and Sotomayor. I thought all women in his final line-up was a little interesting. But before I could comment on that, he made his choice.

Get ready for a Senate fight. The Republicans indicated that they were itching for a Supreme Court battle and were leaning towards obstructing Obama's pick, before they even knew who the nominee would be.

I think any of the 4 women would have been fine... although I am not a big fan of Napolitano. All are well qualified. I'm glad that he didn't take the advice of those who wanted him to nominate a politician for the job.

This is also another historic first as Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic to sit on the Supreme Court. I can't find anything wrong with this choice. He chose a woman, and a minority.

But I can guarantee you that there will be folks who will see something wrong with this nomination. Just like clockwork... Republicans will call her too Liberal...and will seek to throw roadblocks up to prevent her confirmation (because to them, it's all about overturning the Roe vs. Wade decision.... a ruling which has ironically been protected by 2 Republican nominees over the years. They were nominees who turned out to be more moderate than Republicans had hoped - those 2 Justices being Souter, & O'Conner.). Republicans want Right Wing ideologues who will do what they are told.... basically robots like Clarence Thomas. Of course, the other group that will complain will be Blacks, particularly the Civil Rights Industrial Complex folks. They never miss a chance to complain. They can't seem to see the big picture in anything.... they see the World through their very narrow perspective. They will blanket the blogs and talk shows with the same tired arguments. Somehow they expected special treatment with Obama's election, treatment that I stated here shouldn't be given and wouldn't be given...not in any significant way. I warned people not to expect any special privileges. I have always been amused by Blacks who expected Obama to magically fix all the problems in so-called "Black America"... that he would magically fix dilapidated neighborhoods and a rotting culture. Yes, he can do a little for infrastructure...but I have always said that fixing the culture of destruction, irresponsibility, and moral decay that lies beneath...would have to be fixed by Black folks themselves...by folks deciding to change their own lives and their own families...and then their own neighborhoods.

But while Republicans and Blacks are busy complaining, Obama is effectively widening his tent. This is another reason why the Republicans are nervous. They would rather see division between Obama and Hispanics...(between Blacks and Hispanics). They don't want to see him establish a permanent majority of Hispanic support. If Republicans hope to make a comeback... they have to do well with Hispanics. But this choice also paints Republicans into a corner.... If they oppose the nomination too forcefully, they risk being seen as bigots (which many of them really are...but they don't want the World seeing it).

This will be an interesting fight.... one that Republicans would be smart to give up (assuming the nominee has no major skeletons waiting to be discovered). Obama is calling the GOP's bluff in a way with this choice. All the threats about obstructing Obama's choice before they even knew who the nominee would be was nonsensical. Not only do the Republicans risk alienating Hispanics (no pun intended....although many Republicans wouldn't have a problem with that)....they also risk alienating Women.


-- The Angry Independent