This article is the opening salvo of what no doubt will be more open cheerleading from the media over Obama's selection. Apparently, the instructions from the White House have been to claim that Obama is middle of the road and will pick a pragmatic moderate, not a leftwinger. Of course, the people mentioned as likely nominees are all from the far left.
This is the same tactic that was successfully utilized when Clinton nominated one liberal, Steve Bryer, and one leftwing radical, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. A slew of articles sprang up overnight in the mianstream media calling them both respected moderates, when it was totally untrue. Breyer was somewhat respected but clearly very liberal. Ginsberg was from the wacko far left. Republicans were too intimidated to mount any real opposition to either choice and many in fact voted to confirm them. In contrast, when Bush nominated two conservative yet respected mainstream jurists, they were opposed on party line votes by democrats.
I believe it is highly likely the nominee will be Duval Patrick. Obama is smart enough to know that he cannot predict the future, and he should seize the chance while he has it to put a marginally qualified minority and one of his early supporters on the Court.
This is the same tactic that was successfully utilized when Clinton nominated one liberal, Steve Bryer, and one leftwing radical, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. A slew of articles sprang up overnight in the mianstream media calling them both respected moderates, when it was totally untrue. Breyer was somewhat respected but clearly very liberal. Ginsberg was from the wacko far left. Republicans were too intimidated to mount any real opposition to either choice and many in fact voted to confirm them. In contrast, when Bush nominated two conservative yet respected mainstream jurists, they were opposed on party line votes by democrats.
I believe it is highly likely the nominee will be Duval Patrick. Obama is smart enough to know that he cannot predict the future, and he should seize the chance while he has it to put a marginally qualified minority and one of his early supporters on the Court.