President Obama announced Monday that he is nominating Solicitor General Elena Kagan to succeed retiring liberal Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court. At 50, Kagan would be the court's youngest justice; if confirmed, she could extend Obama's legacy for decades. But both the right and the left are wondering how she'll affect the court's balance — although her impressive resume includes a stint as dean of Harvard Law School, Kagan has never served as a judge before. If confirmed, how would she influence the court? (Watch an AP report about Elena Kagan, Obama's pick)
She's a left-wing wildcard: With "no experience as a judge," Kagan represents a mediocre choice, says Ed Morrissey in Hot Air. But Obama's clearly trying to avoid "a big fight" on this one. With no "track record of judicial activism" to derail her confirmation, she's the perfect "stealth" liberal.
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