Senators Urge Obama to Replace Souter With Non-Judge, Maybe Hillary Clinton

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 4, 2009   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Senators Urge Obama to Replace Souter With Non-Judge, Maybe Hillary Clinton

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 4
, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — As the discussion about a replacement for retiring pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice David Souter reaches a fever pitch, some senators are urging President Barack Obama to not select a judge for the position. They want a woman and someone outside the judicial realm — possibly Hillary Clinton.

Souter, one of the five-member pro-abortion, pro-Roe majority on the high court, announced last week that he will step down after the Supreme Court concludes its latest term in June.

Now, top Democrats are giving Obama advice as he begins the process of developing a short list of replacements.

"I would like to see more people from outside the judicial monastery – somebody who has had some real-life experience," Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Pat Leahy told ABC’s "This Week" over the weekend. "I think we should have more women. We should have more minorities."

Meanwhile, pro-abortion Sen. Arlen Specter, the former Republican ranking minority member on the Senate judiciary panel, told CBS’ "Face the Nation" that he would like to see someone "who has done something more than wear a black robe for most of their lives."

"Perhaps a statesman – or a stateswoman," he added when asked to elaborate.

Some political observers look at the comments and conclude the senators are calling for Obama to nominate pro-abortion Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a former attorney and New York senator, to the high court post.

Should Obama do so, pro-life advocates would undoubtedly launch a significant national campaign against her nomination because of her career of pushing abortions both nationally and on international levels.

Regardless of the nominee he ultimately sends to the Senate, pro-life Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah predicts Obama will "pick a more liberal justice" than Souter, "a pro-abortion justice."

He cited Obama’s previously-stated desire for a new Supreme Court judge with "empathy" as code for wanting "an activist" judge.

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