Indiana's Hamilton is Obama's first judicial appointment (already criticized as "ultra-liberal")

[usregimechange]

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama chose an Indiana judge with some bipartisan support for his first judicial nomination Tuesday, announcing he wants to elevate U.S. District Judge David F. Hamilton to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.

White House aides described Hamilton as a careful judge who follows the law and also has shown "empathy for real people with real problems." They said Obama is sending a signal with his first judicial pick that he will consult with Republicans in the Senate.

"We are trying to set a tone here," an Obama adviser told reporters in a background briefing. "We are eager to put the confirmation wars behind us."

But within minutes of the White House announcement, a conservative legal group labeled Hamilton an "ultra-liberal" who is a "former leader of the Indiana chapter of the ACLU."

http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090318/News01/903180269

[Arkana]

1. Wow, anyone who didn't expect this needs to turn in their Democrat card now.

[annabanana]

2. Well of course this reaction was expected.. After the last

admin shoved the "realm of respectability" so far to the right that we now have a Chief Justice with crazy eyes and like 4 or 5 DECADES to go. . .

Anyone who's not a raving RW loon is going to look communist to the crackpots on the Judicial Confirmation Network ( http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Judicial_Confirmation_Network )

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3. Here is the 7th Circuit: just change the green blue

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6. WI, IL, and IN

[Median Democrat]

4. Well, I've Been Accused Of Being Uber Liberal, But Others Merely Say That I'm A Latte Liberal

Its a whole continuum of liberalness.

[Laelth]

5. Not ultra-liberal at all. More like a libertarian.

Pro-civil liberties, but a corporatist as well. I am not particularly pleased.

:dem:

-Laelth

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7. He was a Clinton nominee in 1994

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8. White House release:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-David-Hamilton-for-the-United-States-7th-Circuit-Court-of-Appeals/

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9. Judge Hamilton is 52 yo

[FVZA_Colonel]

10. Michelle Malkin has tried to paint him as having produced child porn:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/03/18/obama-appoints-first-appellate-court-justice/


Seriously, I cannot imagine why she would mention what she did on GIS unless she were trying to start a meme that conflates two entirely different men.

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11. It will take more than a dishonest meme to stop this nomination

[usregimechange]

12. Picture:

[depakid]

13. Everyone to the left of Atilla the Hun is an "ultra-liberal" to these kooks

It makes NO SENSE AT ALL to try to appease them.

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14. Good bio information here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/17/AR2009031703031.html

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15. Anyone have the thought that Obama may be setting Hamilton up for SCOTUS?

[LiberalFighter]

16. There are no ultra-liberal judges in Indiana. Don't they know it is Indiana and not California or MA