If Joe Biden wants to be the next president, the first thing he needs to do is to convince Barack Obama to appoint Hillary Clinton to the Supreme Court. And he’ll have to hope she accepts the honor. I don’t know whether or not one of the five conservative seats will open up in the next four years, but Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat almost certainly will. At that point, assuming Clinton isn’t already a declared candidate for president, she would be a very intriguing pick. I think that she would look great in the black robe.
I honestly do not think that Biden can beat Clinton in a contest for the nomination, and I think it will be painful for the party if we spend the last year of Obama’s presidency with his two highest-profile subordinates accusing each other of being doo-doo heads. However, if Clinton isn’t a candidate, Biden can probably rely on the loyalty and support of most of Obama’s army. Age is obviously an issue for Biden, but that’ll never stop him from trying. In any case, I leave you with Ezra’s sampling of Biden’s greatest hits from the Senate swearing-in ceremonies last week:
“Spread your legs!” He told Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s husband. “You’re gonna be frisked!”
“Mom, I’ll see you in a little bit,” he winked to Senator Bob Casey’s mother (he called all the mothers “mom”). “I hope I’ll sneak over and see you.”
Senator Tim Scott’s brother, a former football player, got this instant classic: “Need any help on your pecs, man, give me a call.” Senator Orrin Hatch’s granddaughter was advised: “No serious guys until you’re 30.” To the brunette alongside Senator Robert Menendez, it was: “You are so pretty. God love you. Holy mackerel.” At one point, Biden turned to the crowd in the gallery above. “Anybody else want to be sworn in as a senator today?”
I don’t always agree with Biden, but I can’t help but like him. He cracks me up.
No thanks. We need a young justice to be appointed to combat people like Alito and Roberts. Both appointed in their 50’s. Clinton is in her late 60’s.
Biden might need that, and the Democratic party might want to avoid their fighting, but we must nominate someone younger.
Clinton is 65.
Sorry, I thought she was 67. My mistake. Nonetheless, 2 years is insignificant in this context.
And someone a couple of decades younger than what will be a seventy-six year old Biden as the nominee in 2016.
Democrats laugh that Republicans can’t move forward from Reagan/Bush, but they too are stuck in some time-warp and denial of the reality of what the neo-liberals have done to ordinary working Americans. Thus they are just fine with SS cuts as long as a Democrat in the WH signs off on it.
Yep, she is way too old and Obama can do better than Clinton in a Supreme Court pick.
I agree that she is too old as a replacement for Ginsberg. But…what if Obama unexpectedly gets to fill one of the conservative seats? Clinton might make a good compromise candidate. She’s popular enough that the Rs would hesitate to vote against her, and they might be more inclined to go along given that it’s probably only for 10-15 years rather than 20-30.
Yes. As unfortunate as it is, in this era of politics we HAVE to do the actuarial math on the nominees. The Supreme Court is as hardball as it gets.
.
I agree with seabe about age.
Wow — 212 years ago, a man without judicial experience was appointed Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. No pesky Senators asked him about Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Bd of Ed, and Roe v. Wade either.
Of course this is all a straw man because nobody is insisting that a SC nominee have judicial experience. In fact the newest member of the court, Elena Kagan had none. However, she brought a wealth of legal knowledge and expertise to the job. And all those other SC nominee precedents that people love to cite were highly accomplished in several arenas.
As for age – Marshall was 46, Taney 59, Hughes 48, and Warren 62 (plus he had 28 years in public office).
“No pesky Senators asked him about Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Bd of Ed, and Roe v. Wade either.”
Those are the questions the GOP uses to evaluate people they want on the Supreme Court. That’s so backward looking. In the 21st century there are so many other issues a new justice needs to have an opinion or knowledge. A justice that is going to spend the next 30 years on the court should at least have some computer tech knowledge or at least some curiosity. Dems got to figure our how to change the conversation during the confirmation hearings.
I think they should’ve stuck with ‘best known’ – the first descriptor – instead of ‘great’, because Taney is definitely more notorious/infamous (for Dred Scot) than anything else he may have ruled on.
While I defer to whichever genius it was (Estes Kefauver? Mo Udall?) who said “Presidential ambition is a disease which can only be cured by embalming fluid,” I just don’t think either Biden or Clinton will try it on again. And though it’s early days, have any governors (Cuomo? Hickenlooper? O’Malley?) made noises like they will?
Estes Kefauver and Harold Stassen were living proof of that adage.
Here in Maryland, it’s basically accepted as a given that Martin O’Malley will try for President. He won’t open his exploratory committee until next year, but he’s basically stumping right now.
I like Joe, too. I’m not sure I like his politics, but I’m 99% sure that I would like them better than whatever doofus gets the GOP nod.
I like Scweitzer too, but I don’t think he has any chance at all. He’s not telegenic.
Don’t think anyone will run who gives a damn about working people, so don’t know if I’ll ever vote again, except to vote against someone as I voted against Joe walsh. Sadly, Walsh actually voted to let the Bush tax cuts expire. That’s once he was right.
I thought Schweitzer’s whole thing was that he’s telegenic. Why else would a termed-out Montana governor even be considered for the nomination?
He’s not telegenic to me. Romney was telegenic. Schweitzer’s enthusiastic and a voluble speaker, but I think he’s rather ugly, which doesn’t make any difference to me, but supposedly does to female voters.
He’s not ugly — that bolo tie is.
One woman’s opinion – Schweitzer’s not ugly. He’s got a genuine open expression, a good sense of humor, and he’s comfortable in his own skin.
He’s too conservative for me but, as far as I know he’s not a warmonger and if he’ll support unions and the middle class, I’d vote for him over the currently likely Dem primary candidates and, in a general match up with likely GOTP’ers?
Schweitzer v. Christie? Check
Schweitzer v. Jindal? Check
Schweitzer v. Lyin’ Ryan? Check
Schweitzer v. Rand Paul? Check
Interesting idea, but no. We need to be putting young judges on SCOTUS from now on (young being a relative term…no older than mid-50s or so).
I think that Joe will not pour cold water on a Presidential run until after 2014. It’ll be too much fun playing with the media.
I also think that Clinton will not run. This recent hospital bout will certainly be a factor in any decision she makes.
Watch for some of the folks who are likely to be the candidates to start gaining national exposure soon. And it’s going to take more than a trip to Iowa to do it.
The best way for them to do it is the old-fashioned way. Campaign for Democrats in the 2014 cycle. Get known for a signature issue (not restricted to a signature policy proposal–President Obama made “no red states-no blue states” effectively his signature issue).
TD, anyone beyond the usual suspects you think might make a run for 2016/have an actual shot at it? Anyone you’d like to see run?
If they’re a governor or a second term or longer Senator, they are a suspect (by the Kefauver rule). Who is a most unlikely candidate who might run? Try Maria Cantwell.
Who would I like to see run? Al Franken. (He’ll be in his second term then.)
Franken, huh? Well, we elected a black guy named Barack Hussein Obama twice, so crazier things have happened.
Plus the debates would be a lot more fun.
We could use a president in 2016 who would nominate Obama to the court.
No, Obama is much better off as a supra-political, post-presidency force of nature like Bill Clinton. No need for him to be sequestered away on the Supreme Court – we’ve got plenty of other brilliant progressive judges and scholars who can do just as good a job.
No, I think he would be perfect as a Supreme Court Justice. The LA Times published some of his course material from his Con Law classes at the Univ. of Chicago and he clearly is passionate about the subject.
Well worth the time to read if you can find it now.
It is a little dream of mine that he would serve on the Supreme Court after his Presidency (doesn’t have to be immediately after) and I think he would do some good things. We know where he stands on Citizens United, corporate personhood, etc. Would be a beautiful thing.
I agree with you, in that I think Obama would make an excellent Supreme Court justice. But aside from the fact that it will never happen – mainly because Obama surely has zero interest in staying in Washington any longer than he has to – aside from that, he can and will serve progressive causes much better by being a post-Presidential rock star in the Bill Clinton mode. Maybe not with a foundation per se but as a globetrotting ambassador to the world.
And after he spends a couple of years surfing, playing basketball, writing his memoirs and a novel or two, and relaxing the hell out, I think that’s what he will do in some form.
I don’t think he’s want to do that. I’m actually fascinated by the book he’ll eventually write about his presidency. I sure do hope he calls a spade a spade and calls the GOP out on their not-so-subtle racism.
Obama should nominate himself to the Court so Biden can run as an incumbent! What could go wrong?
Yeah.
Right.
His 70+ year-old “Yuk yuk!!!” shit would go over big w/the Muslim Brotherhood, Putin and his spook-mates, the Castro-influeneced South/Central/Caribbean coming-of-age leaders, the hard-charging Chinese, the get-it-while-it’s-still-avaiilable South Korean hustlers and the still powerful American fundamentalist right-wing.
Face it, man.
He’s headed for the same tarpits as are the rest of the white baby boomers and so-called “Greatest Generation.”
Gov. Deval Patrick, Mayor Corey Booker, Gov. Chris Christie and God-only-knows how many yet to be hyped Hispanic and female pols are the next wave.
Deal wid it.
Not Charmin’ Joe.
Bet on it.
AG
I’d like to see Biden be VP in 2016 again. The VP has no term limit. So, why not? Who can deny he’s been our best one since…?
I don’t always agree with Biden’s politics either, but to coin a phrase, he’s restored honor and dignity to his office.
OK, he’s restored honor to his office. Dignity is overrated.
Why not me?
I’d be a GREAT candidate for preznit.
I’m telegenic. Good, if random, sense of humor. Willing to tell off the GOP.
I’m an EXCELLENT candidate for president.
Doncha think???
Secretary of State would be a much better fit…
That too. I’ll be BOTH,
I’d much rather see Hillary as a Supreme Court Justice. I think she’d be great at that, and her hawkish foreign policy won’t be such a danger.