Today's Opinion Journal has a column that breaches no new ground -- they're floating the theory that should Hillary Clinton become president, she will nominate her husband for a future vacancy on the Supreme Court.
It's a fun little speculation, and there is historical precedent. As the column notes, William Taft went on after the presidency to serve as Chief Justice. And Clinton is still young enough to feel he has something to contribute.
But the article glosses over the downsides. First up is the nepotism charge. While technically not barred by law, Clinton would have to undergo approval by the Senate. And the Senate might not be so eager to place a married couple at such high levels of government simultaneously.
There's also the stigma of having a Supreme Court justice who was stripped of his license to practice law for lying under oath in a federal proceeding. That could be a smidgen awkward.
Other downsides also exist. For one, do we really want Bill Clinton to have ready access to Supreme Court Clerks? He was bad enough with interns.
For another, Justices tend to keep a low profile. If there's one thing Bill Clinton can't stand, it's to be out of the limelight for too long.
Finally, he would have to recuse himself from cases that involve actions by his administration. For example, should a "don't ask/don't tell" case come up, he would have to step aside, as he was the president who implemented that policy.
Lord knows Bill Clinton needs something to do, to keep him out of mischief. We've seen over the past few years the kind of trouble he can cause when he's bored and feeling ignored. But putting him on the Supreme Court would be a matter of the cure being worse than the disease.
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Comments (11)
Not going to happen.<... (Below threshold)1. Posted by kevino | December 17, 2007 11:53 AM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Not going to happen.
President Clinton will not want this job because being an informal ambassador for the United States will give him much better access to good looking young chicks and celebrities. It will also put him in the news and in public where people can love him, and that's what he really wants. Being on the SCOTUS is too much work.
This idea is also not going to help get Senator Clinton elected. Many who want to vote for her want her to step aside and let Bill run things. Many voters want him to be President again, and they don't particularly want her. Besides, the consensus of opinion seems to be that a healthy dose of Bill periodically is needed just to make her half-way palatable.
1. Posted by kevino | December 17, 2007 11:53 AM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 11:53
2. Posted by Veeshir | December 17, 2007 12:23 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I know it's against the rules, but I have a feeling they might be amenable to having the rules changed.
Bill for UN Secretary General. He could do the least harm to America from there.
2. Posted by Veeshir | December 17, 2007 12:23 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 12:23
3. Posted by Proof | December 17, 2007 1:21 PM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
I think this story simply illustrates a whole galaxy of potentially poor or disastrous appointments made possible by a Hillary presidency!
3. Posted by Proof | December 17, 2007 1:21 PM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 13:21
4. Posted by jp2 | December 17, 2007 2:14 PM | Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
"We've seen over the past few years the kind of trouble he can cause when he's bored and feeling ignored."
Like what? Raising tons of cash for tsunami victims with GHWB? Helping open the GWB library? Raising global AIDS awareness? Writing a critically acclaimed autobiography?
4. Posted by jp2 | December 17, 2007 2:14 PM |
Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 14:14
5. Posted by GeminiChuck | December 17, 2007 2:56 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Because Clinton was found guilty (by a Federal judge) of lying under oath and had his license to practice law revoked, he is ineligible (for life) to be on the US Supreme Court.
Should Hilary win, she'll make a new post for him: "Ambassador at Large to the World". Which what he wants. Heaven forbid.
5. Posted by GeminiChuck | December 17, 2007 2:56 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 14:56
6. Posted by Proof | December 17, 2007 5:15 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
critically acclaimed Is that code speak for "snooze fest" ?
6. Posted by Proof | December 17, 2007 5:15 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 17:15
7. Posted by Jlawson | December 17, 2007 8:02 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Proof -
Any more, yes. Also, when applied to a movie or video, a virtual guarantee the thing's gonna bomb so hard it'll leave a smoking crater at the box office.
7. Posted by Jlawson | December 17, 2007 8:02 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 20:02
8. Posted by Proof | December 17, 2007 10:43 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
...bomb so hard it'll leave a smoking crater at the box office.
Not sure you want to use the words "smoking crater" in the same breath as "Clinton biography" !
8. Posted by Proof | December 17, 2007 10:43 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 22:43
9. Posted by James Cloninger | December 17, 2007 11:19 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Because Clinton was found guilty (by a Federal judge) of lying under oath and had his license to practice law revoked, he is ineligible (for life) to be on the US Supreme Court.
Moreover, the SCOTUS suspended and threatened to disbar him from their court. I don't know if the Constitution would specifically deny him the opportunity to serve on the Court, but public opinion would, not to mention the Senate. There is far too much baggage for both the Republicans and the Democrats to overcome here.
Not sure you want to use the words "smoking crater" in the same breath as "Clinton biography" !
Did the crater inhale?
9. Posted by James Cloninger | December 17, 2007 11:19 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 17, 2007 23:19
10. Posted by Jo | December 18, 2007 12:57 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Critically acclaimed autobiography?? LOL.
jp2 you are quite the comedian. Please continue to entertain us with your accolades about Billy Boy.
ROFLMAO.
10. Posted by Jo | December 18, 2007 12:57 AM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 18, 2007 00:57
11. Posted by jp2 | December 18, 2007 3:15 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
from wiki..."...and set a worldwide record for single day non-fiction book sales according to the publisher."
And it won a grammy. But hey, whatever.
11. Posted by jp2 | December 18, 2007 3:15 AM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 18, 2007 03:15