Calling the SC Sweepstakes

If you're paying attention to political events as I do, you are probably aware of the impending Supreme Court vacancy, and thus, nominee from President Obama.

The six names/people being considered are well known to political junkies: U.S. Appeals Court judges Sonia Sotomayor and Diane Wood, Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno.

The buzz in Washington is that Obama will announce his choice by Tuesday. Therefore, I feel it is my duty the blogosphere *chokes on his own self-importance* that I make my call for who I think Obama will take.

First, I hope it is NOT Napolitano. She hasn't much impressed me much, but even more so...Obama doesn't need the hassle of filling yet another Cabinet position. For that reason alone, I doubt she'll be picked.

My choice is simple: Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Why?

1. She's Canadian born, which means there is no chance for this terrific woman to be elected into the Presidency.

2. Her second term as Governor is almost up, and she is term-limited, as decided by Michigan voters in a 1992 referendum.

3. She's a consensus builder, and I think that is a trait important to have when deciding on a Supreme Court candidate. I firmly believe Chief Justice Roberts will do a ton of damage during his likely long tenure because he is known as a consensus builder who and an affable fellow. This is how you get your policy/worldview to be more accepted by others, not by being a Scalia/Thomas firebrand.

4. She's only 50. Chief Justice John Roberts is 54, and it behooves Obama to pick someone young who can hang in there year after year with Roberts and at least try to give some balance.

5. She's got the street cred: Harvard Law School (J.D.) & University of California, Berkeley (B.A.).

6. Finally, since her term is essentially over, she has nowhere to go. She's not going to run for the US House of Representatives, as that would be a step down from being Governor. She can't run for Senate. Both Democratic Michigan Senators are entrenched in their seats (even with old Carl Levin being re-elected just this past fall).

Gov. Granholm is a bright star in the Democratic party and it's going to be a damn shame to lose her when her term is up. Let's put her to good use and make her a star in a more subtle way.