Kagan has never argued a case before becoming Solicitor General (a fact which was critisized).
I understand the logic of the 22nd Amendment, but it sure seems like a waste to effectively end someone’s political career at a relatively young age. After all, no ex-President nowadays is going to go back into Congress or to a governorship. But like the Howard the Duck comic, “Where do you go - what do you do - the night after you saved the universe?”, really WTF is someone supposed to do after finishing their last term as President well in advance of a normal retirement age?
Take a loooong vacation, write your memoirs, set up your Presidential library - OK, that gets Obama to age 60. That probably leaves him another 30 years to fill up: Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush Sr. have all lived past 90, and Obama’s probably in much better shape than they were at the same age. What do you do with all that time that doesn’t leave it feeling like anticlimax?
He still smokes. He’ll have 10 more after 60, possibly not even.
Well there’s also the fact that despite 12 years as a law prof, he apparently didn’t publish a single piece of legal scholarship. I have no doubt he has a solid legal mind and is very knowledgeable but in no way has he shown aptitude to be a judge.
And let’s get real, would he ever get through Senate approval? Would he want to sit through it even if he would?
Depends on how much he smokes (as well as luck of the genetic draw). If he only smokes a few cigs per week, or if his genes are especially good, then he could easily live several more decades.
Yes but she was a law clerk, worked at a law firm, worked as White House counsel etc. She wasn’t a trial lawyer (lots of lawyers aren’t) but she had both practical legal experience and academic legal experience. Obviously the weight of her career was more academic than practical, with long stints at U Chicago and as Dean at Harvard law, but it was mixed with a healthy amount of real work as an attorney.
Obama’s only professional experience in practicing law was with a Chicago law firm specializing civil rights, he joined the firm after his career as law professor had already began, and it’s vague (at least to me) what he actually did there. I believe his name only appeared on one case they handled, and it’s unlikely he did much at all there after 1997 when he was elected to the State Senate (starting a period in which he had three jobs, one as State legislator, one as law professor, and one working for that firm.)
I’m not bashing Obama’s career–he became President after all, but lots of people get JD’s and have good careers in business or other things but don’t actually become “lawyers” who practice law. That largely describes Obama’s legal career. I don’t think he even took a clerking position out of law school, which is unusual for someone who edited law review at Harvard, and probably indicates Obama didn’t have a lot of interest in being a practitioner.
Like I said, that’s all fine. But at least in recent history we’ve not tended to put people on the Supreme Court with such little practical legal experience. In both practical legal experience and academic legal experience, Kagan’s resume is far more impressive than Obama’s, in the legal profession.
What plausible Democrat do you think President Clinton or Sanders would find it easier to get confirmed by a GOP senate? My answer: no one.
Unless something unexpected happens in the next year, this still applies:
Obama may be a polarizing figure right now, but he’ll be immensely popular once he leaves office.
Compared to a nominee who is already a judge, Obama is highly experienced at batting away questions he doesn’t think it a good idea to answer. And every question asked during confirmation will be proceeded by Mr. President. This will make harsh questioners look small.
The idea is ludicrous. He’ll be more popular once he leaves yes, but that honeymoon will end pdq if he tries to get himself inserted in the Supreme Court.
I honestly thought the only people who would put it forward were right wing loons afraid Obama will rape the Constitution.
Obama will be in extremely high demand on the international lecture circuit. I think its clear he is more highly regarded outside the US than inside. There will be no shortage of high paying speaking appointments for him. He’d be a fool not to milk that for all its worth for 5-10 years.
maybe you’re missing the point and it isn’t what the former President wants that matters, at all.
It depends on his value system. In mine, job satisfaction is more important than money, once you have a certain amount, an amount certainly exceeded by the former president pension.
Now, if he loves traveling and giving speeches, maybe he’d be a fool not to do that job. But if he finds it unfulfilling, he’d be a fool to do it.
Community organizer, with a really strong resume.