“All of us need to be aware of that — every single one of us — and to realize how precious the court’s legitimacy is. It’s an incredibly important thing for the court to guard is this reputation of being impartial, being neutral, and not being simply extension of a terribly polarizing process.”
— Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, quoted by The Hill.
David Axelrod reports that the late Justice Antonin Scalia actually recommended that President Obama pick Elena Kagan to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court.
Said Scalia: “I have no illusions that your man will nominate someone who shares my orientation. But I hope he sends us someone smart.”
He added: “Let me put a finer point on it. I hope he sends us Elena Kagan.”
Taegan Goddard
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.
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