Obama's Supreme Court Short List

By: Jan Crawford
Topics: Supreme Court

(Credit: AP)

With confirmation today of Chicago federal appeals court Judge Ann Williams, below is the latest working short list of potential Supreme Court nominees.

All have been confirmed by the White House, but some are highly unlikely to make the final cut. Williams, for example, will be 61 this summer. And although she has a compelling life story as a former Detroit school teacher and was the first African American on the Chicago-based federal appeals court, she is generally not considered a judicial superstar.

And chances are slim that an elected official -- someone who's been through the rough-and-tumble world of politics -- will get the nod, administration sources say. In this hyper-charged political environment, the White House doesn't want the risk of potential distractions from even minor ethics allegations because of a candidate's campaign contributions, fundraising or political allies. Leah Ward Sears, for example, was hit with ethics charges after she accepted improper contributions during her 2004 campaign for the Georgia Supreme Court.

Martha Minow, dean of Harvard Law School
Elena Kagan, Solicitor General, former Harvard Law dean
Sid Thomas, Montana federal appeals court judge
Merrick Garland, federal appeals court judge, Washington DC
Jennifer Granholm, Michigan governor
Diane Wood, Chicago-based federal appeals court
Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security
Leah Ward Sears, former Chief Justice, Georgia Supreme Court
Ann Claire Williams, federal appeals court judge, Chicago

Watch Jan Crawford Talk About the Supreme Court Choices on "Washington Unplugged" Below:

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Jan Crawford
Jan Crawford is CBS News Chief Political and Legal Correspondent. She is from "Crossroads," Alabama.
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by noloyalisti April 23, 2010 1:30 PM EDT: Do these idiots even know what Communism is, I don't think so? The Baggers hold up racist hate signs showing Obama as Hitler who was just the opposite of a communist, an extreme right winger like the current Republikklan.

Make up you pea sized brains people. Turn of Fake Faux News and come up with one fact. Then we can have a conversation.; Reply to this comment


by chitown639 April 22, 2010 9:25 AM EDT: by montana3000 April 22, 2010 3:21 AM EDT
Mr. President, Mr. President, one question please. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!, Hey guys, bring back the tele-prompter so I can answer this man's question. Ok, shoot. Mr President, is that a copy of the "Communist Manifesto" in your left pocket? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!, Well. let me take twenty minutes and not answer your question. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! SPLAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoa Nellie Mr. President, A Bald Eagle just took a big dump on your head. Hey guys, can we get a close -up on the President before he leaves us for prayer time. Say what Mr. President? Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! The President wants to know if someone can point him towards Mecca because he can't see with all that poop in his eyes.
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There are things that funny people say that are crazy, and there are crazy things that crazy people say that are just plain nuts I think you fit in the plain nuts catagory. You need help, buddy. Please call for help, the foul stench from your backed-up colostomy bag is making you delirious.....; Reply to this comment


by bbkenn92 April 22, 2010 12:23 AM EDT: I hope he nominates a liberal/progressive female judge who can think and act like Stevens, and bring that 5th vote, cause we all know that the bloc: Scalia, Roberts, Alito and Thomas are incapable of voting any other way but ultra conservative even if it upsets years of precedent (funding by corporations for elections ok now! I mean how can a corporation be a person? And what's to prevent a foreign company from influencing our US elections???? Why aren't the tea baggers and anti immigrant people upset by that???); Reply to this comment


by tmittelstaed April 21, 2010 9:24 PM EDT: "...and received his law degree, graduating magna *** laude, from Harvard Law School. He became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review...."

Give it up. As evidenced by the CBS Blog "naughty word" filter most Americans think the word c - u - m laude means some sort of pornographic thing. (I put in the dashes to prevent the filter from wacking this) They would be more impressed if Obama was the winner of "Lost"; Reply to this comment


by SUEZQueen April 21, 2010 9:16 PM EDT: I hope they pick SID the mean neighbor maybe he can play with them like he does his toys..TOY STORY GIRL; Reply to this comment


by THEpartychief April 21, 2010 9:11 PM EDT: You REDneck repubs are just going have to get over the FACT that an African American is President and is going to make choices and decisions that you WILL NEVER ACCEPT.
OMG , you are STILL stuck on stupid about President Obama's birth certificate. You idiots (if you don't think that you fit into that group , then don't be offended) need to get over yourselves already.
This country is changing whether you like it or not...; Reply to this comment


by billkol April 21, 2010 8:16 PM EDT: ""Many conservatives, in particular the far right, the tea party members and Rush Limbaugh, fail to realize how intelligent Barack Obama is. Rush is not even in the same league. One on one, Rush would not even come close. The President graduated from Columbia University in New York and received his law degree, graduating magna *** laude, from Harvard Law School. He became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review and later worked as a civil rights lawyer and as a community organizer in New York and Chicago. I think he is more than qualified to select a candidate for the supreme court."; Reply to this comment

by emelder2 April 21, 2010 8:06 PM EDT

Add Hilary Clinton. She's ideal for the job ... and deserves it, as well.

Reply to this comment


by SUEZQueen April 21, 2010 9:18 PM EDT: Is this all you abc workers can give US?


by bradkt1 April 21, 2010 10:27 PM EDT: Actually, I would save Hillary for the NEXT appointment...if President Obama gets that chance. That would likely be the one to replace Justice Kennedy and tip the ideological balance away from the conservatives.

The Senate would have a very hard time opposing one of their own. Of course, the far right would go crazy, but chances are good that several GOP senators would support her confirmation and block any attempted filibuster.