I don't recall anything near this much concern over Sotomayor

[Stinky The Clown]

Yeah, a lot of people wanted Sotomayor to be a little more left, but no one, as I recall, was able to show much evidence that she wouldn't be a reliable vote for liberal issues - as liberal as the Supremes ever get. Basically, she got an easy acceptance from all but the (truly) far left.

With Kagan there seems to be story after story that gives an average lefty cause to pause. Some of the stories are clearly bullshit. Some of the stories are basically true but a real stretch. And some seem genuinely troubling.

I don't recall anyone having to get themselves tied in knots to "defend" Sotomayor. On the flip side, some of the defenses of Kagan are pretty desperate sounding.

I find myself in the "at least she's better than Roberts" camp. That's mainly because she really has no personal judicial record and a long list of involvements in service to others that, in some cases, is troubling. I recognize that really decent lawyers should and do defend really despicable people and positions. That's what professional advocates do. Occasionally a Ted Olson gets behind an issue like gay marriage (and heads spin as a result). But by and large, lawyers do what comes naturally.

I find myself unhappy about Kagan. Not outright opposed. Just unhappy.

[sandnsea]

1. Well what's genuinely troubling

Because so far, everything I've seen is in the bullshit to real stretch category.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. That could be a lesson in how opinions are formed. We see the same facts and come to ....

..... different conclusions.

[sandnsea]

18. Did you see first source facts

or somebody's interpretation of the facts.

And again, would be interested in the specific facts that you find genuinely troubling. It's possible I haven't seen everything.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. I don't know what to think about her. But RE: Sotomayor, yes, DUers did rend garments

Especially concerning her ruling on that firefighter case. Several DUers declared her to be a racist.

It's DU. We panic.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. You may be right, but my own personal recollection is that most of the opposition was .....

.... more or less bullshit.

The cop case was the only controversy, and that was not as big a deal as it seemed at the time.

[KonaKane]

3. Predictably, the rightie loons are raging about her because

she isn't the most attractive person on the planet. That's about as far as their tiny brains can penetrate the issue.

[AllentownJake]

4. It was what was to be expected

The President is a political animal, and a nomination fight before the mid-terms that he feels would rally the GOP base is not something he wants.

Of course, the President fails to understand, as usual that he could nominate Glenn Beck and the GOP would call foul and it would rally the GOP base.

[DJ13]

5. I think its because of who's vote she replaces

If the court isnt going to sway slightly further to the right many people believe Obama needed to nominate a liberal with enough experience to reassure the base that they knew what to expect.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. At the philosophical level, that's about the sum of it

[seabeyond]

7. seemed to me like it was just as much. i have listened to a number of people

npr, four different people in the profession and spitzer and none of them have the concerns. there was a good talk show this afternoon on npr.

but all the while i have been thinking it feels just like the sotomayor, and what i have heard to this point, i feel ok

[MrMickeysMom]

8. I know what you mean, Stinky, but...

Damnit, we elected him so that he could make a difference, which includes this second nominee having at least more of a track record.

She's been silent about a lot of first amendment rights, and I'm sorry, but that same crowd that comes out of the University of Chicago law school all seem to be RIGHT of center.... and right of center is FAR RIGHT compared to what it used to be!

One thing which bothers me, she was the dean a Harvard, but hadn't written anything, when she was there she was one of the deans who when DADT came up, she initially came out to officially eliminate it. However, when the govt threatened to withhold funds to universities doing that, SHE CAVED.

She continues to support the broadening of presidential powers. So, I guess the more I know about her, the more I don't like.

Damn it, we can do better.... effen A! ELIZABETH WARREN!

[ultracase24]

10. More was known about Sotomayor

and "at least she's not Robert's" is exactly why liberals are very much disturbed by this pick. A little to the left of Roberts is like saying a little better than Mussolini. No thanks.

[Bucky]

11. Well, Sotomayer was a wise Latina.

But seriously, Kagan's been out there in the political frays for a long time. In politics, you make enemies and generate personal animosities. There's nothing at all like the reflexive deference people get when they put on the black robes. As dean of a law school she had the power to make & break careers and she had to be in part the source of career frustrations for lots of people from teaching job applicants to grant writers to activists from all corners of the political spectrum wanting to influence the instruction and events going on in her prestigious institution.

I don't endorse her or reject her. I just don't think we can get much insight into her desireability from what we're given so far.

[Hannah Bell]

13. as someone else said, Machiavellian to nominate someone who's never been a judge.

[mmonk]

14. Some recognize we lose ground on liberties with this replacement.(most likely)

She isn't replacing a rabid rightwinger.

[Skidmore]

15. It's about making political hay in front of an election in which

all those seats are at play. Clawing to hold onto the "base."

[Skidmore]

16. DU burped...dupe.

[Skidmore]

17. ...twice. Another dupe.