(News Terupdate) - President Obama is expected to meet with key Republican and Democratic leaders Wednesday to discuss a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
Obama has been privately reaching out this week to candidates for the pending Supreme Court vacancy, an administration source said Tuesday.
The president's conversations with potential candidates were conducted over the phone. Specifics of the discussions were not disclosed by the source.
Stevens announced he would retire shortly after the court's current term ends in late June.
White House officials have said they expect the president to pick his nominee by early May.
It was unclear which names on the White House short list of about 10 people are being given the most serious scrutiny.
Three names had an early edge: Solicitor General Elena Kagan and federal appeals judges Diane Wood and Merrick Garland, government sources had said earlier. But officials stressed that the president in recent days has expanded the list of names he wanted his staff to vet before he makes his decision.
Others being considered include Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Montana-based federal appeals judge Sidney Thomas.
A new national poll released this week suggests that a majority of Americans expect Obama to appoint a liberal to the Supreme Court, but only one in four want that to happen.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey indicates that 61 percent of the public expect the president to nominate a liberal to replace Stevens on the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, 21 percent said the president will name a moderate and 16 percent predicted that Obama will nominate a conservative.
On Tuesday Obama took time to pen a birthday letter to the retiring judge for his 90th birthday.
"Our system of justice and our Nation are stronger and fairer because of your sterling contributions. On behalf of the country, I thank you for your distinguished service," Obama wrote.
Source : CNN
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Obama to discuss Supreme Court pick with party leaders
0 komentar:
Post a Comment