Elena Kagan has kept her cards so close to the vest that in the days after President Obama nominated her to the Supreme Court, some on the left worried she was too moderate to replace liberal Justice John Paul Stevens.But in documents obtained by CBS News, Kagan--while working as a law clerk to the late Justice Thurgood Marshall - made her positions clear on some of the nation's most contentious social issues.
The documents, buried in Marshall's papers in the Library of Congress, show Kagan standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the liberal left, at a time when the Rehnquist Supreme Court was moving to the conservative right.
They also provide a remarkably candid picture of her opinions, including on the most controversial issue Supreme Court nominees ever confront: abortion.
Although Kagan's confirmation has thus far been an all but foregone conclusion, sources say these documents will give Republicans a few cards of their own to mount a strong fight against her.
Apparently we're supposed to believe CBS is surprised that Obama would nominate not a moderate but a liberal. Imagine that.
We were also supposed to believe that Obama is a moderate and not a liberal.
CBS... fooling too many people most of the time.
Crossposted at Brutally Honest.
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Comments (19)
I'm shocked - shocked - to ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by kevino | June 4, 2010 6:45 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I'm shocked - shocked - to discover she's a liberal
1. Posted by kevino | June 4, 2010 6:45 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 06:45
2. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 8:45 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
she also wears mens clothes
2. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 8:45 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 08:45
3. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | June 4, 2010 9:14 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
914,
The buttons are on the left side of the jacket. A woman's cut.
3. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | June 4, 2010 9:14 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 09:14
4. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 9:17 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Are those French or butch?
4. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 9:17 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 09:17
5. Posted by James H | June 4, 2010 10:16 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Couple things to rattle around:
1) President Obama nominates a liberal to the Supreme Court. So what? Do you expect him to nominate a conservative for Bork II: The Borkening?
2) Should Republicans pull out all the stops to oppose Kagan? And if so, then whom would they expect to be nominated next?
5. Posted by James H | June 4, 2010 10:16 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 10:16
6. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 10:23 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Who cares about Republicans James H? I care about character and our Country. Whomever is up to the task gets My 110% unconditional supervised loyalty.
6. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 10:23 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 10:23
7. Posted by GarandFan | June 4, 2010 10:34 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
And all this time I thought Barry would nominate another Scalia.
7. Posted by GarandFan | June 4, 2010 10:34 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 10:34
8. Posted by ak4mc | June 4, 2010 10:37 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Looking at recent numbers, Kagan might as well (purely in terms of popular support) be Bork -- or <told ya so> Harriet Miers </told ya so>.
8. Posted by ak4mc | June 4, 2010 10:37 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 10:37
9. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 10:47 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
"8. Posted by ak4mc | June 4, 2010 10:37 AM | Thanks for voting!Score: 0 (0 votes cast)"
Shes french toast topped with crapplesauce. The more pressing problem we have is Barrys propensity to drag us all down to the southside for a pyshological beatin..\ Well Barry, you tried , you failed, My turn.
9. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 10:47 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 10:47
10. Posted by Jay Guevara | June 4, 2010 12:47 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Let's look on the bright side: she's an American, and we can't take that for granted nowadays.
Sorry, that's all I've got. Can't come up with any other good parts of this.
10. Posted by Jay Guevara | June 4, 2010 12:47 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 12:47
11. Posted by jim x | June 4, 2010 12:52 PM | Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
Wow, Kagan said some allegedly liberal things **over 20 years ago**. That totally means she's a Marxist who wants to complete the secret takeover of America.
Darn shame Obama didn't nominate a moderate centrist like Thomas, Roberts, Alito or Scalia.
11. Posted by jim x | June 4, 2010 12:52 PM |
Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 12:52
12. Posted by ak4mc | June 4, 2010 1:34 PM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
12. Posted by ak4mc | June 4, 2010 1:34 PM |
Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 13:34
13. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 2:44 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
"Wow, Kagan said some allegedly liberal things **over 20 years ago**. That totally means she's a Marxist who wants to complete the secret takeover of America.
Darn shame Obama didn't nominate a moderate centrist like Thomas, Roberts, Alito or Scalia."
She may be... You definitely are! And you can take that with you when you blow.
13. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 2:44 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 14:44
14. Posted by Paul Hooson | June 4, 2010 5:16 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Kagan is not the sort of liberal I can support. Her terrible record on civil liberties and her support for regulation of 1st Amendment free speech rights appalls me.
14. Posted by Paul Hooson | June 4, 2010 5:16 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 17:16
15. Posted by jim x | June 4, 2010 5:23 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Well 914 I don't blow, so I guess I won't be taking that. Thanks for the invite tho.
I shouldn't be surprised that some of you think those four are centrists. I can post why they're not, if it would actually change any of your minds.
15. Posted by jim x | June 4, 2010 5:23 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 17:23
16. Posted by Tsar Nicholas II | June 4, 2010 6:01 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
CBS still has a news division??
16. Posted by Tsar Nicholas II | June 4, 2010 6:01 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 18:01
17. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 6:07 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"I shouldn't be surprised that some of you think those four are centrists. I can post why they're not, if it would actually change any of your minds"
I could care less if they are centered in left of deep right field ...
I judge the person and vote internally on wether or not they deserve My vote.
I care not to trifle with endorsements as I can see right through them just like I see through everything else.
Thank You jim for being so gracious....
17. Posted by 914 | June 4, 2010 6:07 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 18:07
18. Posted by GarandFan | June 4, 2010 7:29 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"Wow, Kagan said some allegedly liberal things **over 20 years ago**. That totally means she's a Marxist who wants to complete the secret takeover of America."
Dumb bitch! At least Barry was smart enough to get all of his 'papers' put under lock and key.
18. Posted by GarandFan | June 4, 2010 7:29 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 19:29
19. Posted by jim x | June 4, 2010 8:35 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
I could care less if they are centered in left of deep right field ...
But that's the point. They are not centrists at all. They are extreme right wing judges.
But in any case, cheers.
19. Posted by jim x | June 4, 2010 8:35 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on June 4, 2010 20:35