Despite Senate Republicans' vows that they will refuse to hold hearings on any Obama nominee to replace leading conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died earlier this month, President Obama is forging ahead, penning a guest post for SCOTUSblog about his nominating criteria.
"I thought I'd share some spoiler-free insights into what I think about before appointing... our next Supreme Court Justice," Obama wrote in the post, titled "A Responsibility I Take Seriously."
Obama defined his ideal justice as having "a sterling record," "a deep respect for the judiciary role," and "an understanding of the way the world really works."
The Constitution vests in the President the power to appoint judges to the Supreme Court. It's a duty that I take seriously, and one that I will fulfill in the weeks ahead.
It's also one of the most important decisions that a President will make. Rulings handed down by the Supreme Court directly affect our economy, our security, our rights, and our daily lives.
Needless to say, this isn't something I take lightly. It's a decision to which I devote considerable time, deep reflection, careful deliberation, and serious consultation with legal experts, members of both political parties, and people across the political spectrum. [SCOTUSblog]
Obama pointedly added that, "As senators prepare to fulfill their constitutional responsibility to consider the person I appoint, I hope they'll move quickly to debate and then confirm this nominee so that the Court can continue to serve the American people at full strength." Read the full post over at SCOTUSblog.