David Axelrod: A surprising request from Justice Scalia

[PoliticAverse]

By David Axelrod

(CNN)When the shocking news of Justice Antonin Scalia's passing hit Saturday night, my mind raced back to a White House Correspondents Association dinner seven years ago, when we were seated together.

We bantered about my hometown of Chicago, where he had taught law before ascending to the bench. He opined on wine and music and generally lived up to his reputation as a man who told and enjoyed a good story.

And then our conversation took an unexpected turn.

Justice David Souter, Scalia's longtime colleague on the court, had just announced his retirement, creating a vacancy for President Obama to fill. Scalia figured that as senior adviser to the new president, I might have some influence on the decision -- or at least enough to pass along a message.

Read the rest at: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/14/opinions/david-axelrod-surprise-request-from-justice-scalia/index.html

[jberryhill]

1. Save a click - Axelrod Says Scalia Wanted Kagan

You're welcome.

[2naSalit]

3. ...

[yeoman6987]

4. Doesn't surprise me

He was best friends with the ginsbergs. Maybe he likes intellect.

[jberryhill]

5. Yeah that's the gist of it

Since it was going to be a liberal, he wanted a smart one.

[Brickbat]

6. Thank you.

[MohRokTah]

2. K&R GREAT Article. eom

[leveymg]

7. I'll join with you guys. Scalia was a genius. But, poison.

Could twist rhe truth into something unrecognizable with the best of them. It's going to take a century to leech him off the bench in the lower courts. Nobody loved political power as its own legal justification more than Karl Schmidt.

[Thinkingabout]

8. It is a great article, President has nominated two wonderful additions to the court,

Both very smart and capable, I don't see any reason why he would not nominate another person of their caliber to the SC, President Obama is a smart person also, he will do this task well.

[Skinner]

9. Fascinating.

"Let me put a finer point on it," the justice said, in a lower, purposeful tone of voice, his eyes fixed on mine. "I hope he sends us Elena Kagan."