Senator Leahy: I Want To Help Obama With 3-4 More SCOTUS Picks

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), in perhaps the least-discussed Senate race in the country, offered a strong hint as to why he's running for a seventh term during a recent interview.

As the Times Argus reported all the way back on August 21:

The future of the Supreme Court is one of the reasons Leahy wants to return to the U.S. Senate for another six years, adding to his long career in Washington. He's been elected continually by the state since he was 34 years old in 1974. If Obama is elected to another term in 2012, Leahy said he would have the opportunity to help confirm 3-4 more Supreme Court judges.

"I certainly want to be there for that," he said with a grin, reflecting the impact that a liberal Democrat could potentially have on the direction of the Supreme Court.

Three to four court vacancies over the next six years seems to be an unguardedly wishful prediction on Leahy's part as to how the current justices will approach their future tenures. For starters, it presumes a second term for Obama. Moreover, the composition of the court is relatively young and two of its oldest members are of the liberal bent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 77, and Stephen Breyer is 72. Justice Antonin Scalia is 74 but has shown no signs of slowing down (certainly, he'd be inclined to wave off retirement till after the 2016 election). Justice Anthony Kennedy, the perennial swing vote, is 74. But retirement rumors have not been swirling around him either.

The broader point Leahy was making is very real though. The post of chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee is a powerful one. And while its impact on Vermont politics may be limited, it is the type of position that compels a six-term senator in a relatively safe Democratic seat to forego early retirement. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn), who chairs the Banking Committee, was in a similar position not too long ago. But ethics scandals compelled the longtime Connecticut Democrat to bow out of the race more than a year before serious campaigning started.

(Hat tip: Polising.com)

Comments

[wizzardly]

11:46 PM on 09/01/2010

A great read. This is the idealogy that America is fighting back. His grinning about the prospect just makes more indeps. and repubs. dislike where Obama is taking us. He just threw the dems another strike. Leahy just lost a bunch of dem votes. Between him and Obama they can both destroy the dem party.

[right Alice]

03:18 PM on 09/01/2010

We can see that so far SCOTUS judges
have not brought about justice.
I would suggest that what we need
in this country is a panel of top-notch exorcists.

[BocaMom]

02:17 PM on 09/01/2010

Can we not have someone younger who supports President Obama??? Leahy is one of the reasons why the approval rate of Congress is at an all time low. He's just another old time corrupt politician.

[BrannigansLaw]

02:28 PM on 09/01/2010

Corrupt? Please provide some examples.

[wizzardly]

11:51 PM on 09/01/2010

Bayh left. He was a rising star. He saw the train wreck and was smart. I have to credit him, he knew when to bail with dignity. He still has a political life. Unlike so many Obamabot politicians. What is really nice to know, I am not alone in my lack of confidence in Obama.

[trishinpitt]

02:36 PM on 09/01/2010

I don't recall ever hearing of a corruption scandal with Leahy? What did he ever do?

[dragongal]

01:24 PM on 09/01/2010

Chris Dodd is a wolf in sheep's clothing, I am so glad he's leaving, his departure can't come soon enough

[Dave A]

01:17 PM on 09/01/2010

Senator Patrick Leahy was one of the twenty-three senators who voted against the war in Iraq.
In my book, he can run for re-election as many times as he wants.

[den1953]

02:00 PM on 09/01/2010

Fanned and here here besides he pissed off Dark Cheney in my book that is a true American!

[tacevad]

11:19 AM on 09/01/2010

best idea I have heard so far regarding term limits for politicians: limit them to one term in office and one term in jail.

[den1953]

02:01 PM on 09/01/2010

I guess thet is better then two terms and the death penalty? lol

[stargazer13]

10:53 AM on 09/01/2010

Pat can stay Dodd must go

[Ylmaz Kaba]

10:07 AM on 09/01/2010

They exude the ideals from which to draw upon in seeking candidates to support.
http://mercimex.wordpress.com

[rebel9999]

09:53 AM on 09/01/2010

Patrick, he isn't going to be in office long enough to appoint 3-4 more justices.

[palisades02]

10:40 AM on 09/01/2010

Hope and reality are two different things, and he will be there long after your hope has withered away..

[den1953]

02:02 PM on 09/01/2010

I think Americans should elect the Supreme Court now that would throw a wrench into politics!

[emlr]

01:02 PM on 09/01/2010

Yeah? Who you got waiting in the wings? Failin? Romney? Robertson? HAHAHAHA!!

[dancucich]

02:07 AM on 09/01/2010

He wont be confirming any liberal justices-even if Obama is reelected.
The prez has lost his supermajority, and won't be *anywhere* near breaking a filibuster after November...he blew it by not nominating Cass Sunsteen or Harold Koh when he had the votes to confirm them.

I suspect Justice Gnsberg will be the next Justice to retire,and she wil be replaced by a moderate whom the GOP can live with.

[captspock]

08:57 AM on 09/01/2010

Don't count the tea leaves just yet. Come January in a new Senate the dumb super majority rule can be changed if the Dems find their cojones

[trishinpitt]

02:38 PM on 09/01/2010

Not if the Dems don't show up and vote...we could end up with Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader McConnell.... I can just hear the horror music in the background now..... reeee reeee reeee reeeee.......

[Busbydav]

10:26 AM on 09/01/2010

The dems are going to lose seats in 2010, that's given. I suspect that they will pick some of those seats back up in the house in 2012 though.

[Andomania]

11:24 AM on 09/01/2010

Agreed, the country has been is such a poor shape since 2000 that whoever is in charge will lose support. Apparently people aren't smart enough to be able to identify the cause of this decline.

[den1953]

02:04 PM on 09/01/2010

I bet if the Tea Party and the republicans get there way and win they eliminate SS and Medicare those seniors will terminate them!

[Jim Pasterczyk]

01:53 AM on 09/01/2010

All we really need is one, just one reactionary or the one without a backbone.

[Steve Pasek]

01:38 AM on 09/01/2010

I think what he means is that Obama will finally take a page from FDR, but it will of course be the wrong one -- he will attempt to expand the Supreme Court to 13 judges...8-)

[dancucich]

02:22 AM on 09/01/2010

" he will attempt to expand the Supreme Court to 13 judges...8-) "
---------------------------------------------
He doesnt have the guts to try anything remotely like that...he wouldnt even push for Union card check or the fairness doctrine,or a public option when he had a supermajority...

[senseandnonsense]

07:28 AM on 09/01/2010

Do you REALLY believe Obama would consider that? Pretty naive to think that he would try court-packing when it was a disaster when FDR tried it. It'll never even be suggested.

[mikesnl]

02:16 PM on 09/01/2010

Shortly after FDR introduced his plan, one of the conservative justices switched sides and began voting for the president's programs. Several sources report that:

As former Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist observed:

President Roosevelt lost the Court-packing battle, but he won the war for control of the Supreme Court ... not by any novel legislation, but by serving in office for more than twelve years, and appointing eight of the nine Justices of the Court. In this way the Constitution provides for ultimate responsibility of the Court to the political branches of government. [Yet] it was the United States Senate - a political body if there ever was one - who stepped in and saved the independence of the judiciary ... in Franklin Roosevelt's Court-packing plan in 1937."

[springsm]

12:57 AM on 09/01/2010

I really like Patrick Leahy, he and his counter part Bernie Sanders are two of the very best in Congress. Why should he retire early?

[Rasheed Kalifani Knowles]

03:51 AM on 09/01/2010

I 2nd that emotion. They are true American Patriots(...eww,hate using such a trite term, but it's for real). They exude the ideals from which to draw upon in seeking candidates to support, regardless of party affiliation.

[Miguel C Saavadera]

12:32 AM on 09/01/2010

Does the phrase, "Term Limits" remind you of something? Your not going to be around to help Obama with three or four more picks.

[bgofca]

01:21 AM on 09/01/2010

term limits are stupid. if you have someone who isn't doing a good job vote them out; if they are really hard working and doing a good job, keep them and don't loose them.

[BigAbner]

08:26 AM on 09/01/2010

Hear, Hear!!

[WASanford]

09:42 AM on 09/01/2010

Absolutely! Let's keep the choice with the electorate.

[LarBear]

01:59 AM on 09/01/2010

Miguel C Saavadera...

Limit the terms of those Representing WE the People so Tea Baggers who run with the Corporate interest can get in... Be careful of what you ask for...

[llisa]

11:58 PM on 08/31/2010

I hope he gets his wish.