Detroit News: Granholm reportedly on Supreme Court short list

Last Updated: April 13. 2010 7:02PM
Granholm reportedly on Supreme Court short list
Deb Price / Detroit News Washington Bureau


Washington -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm's name resurfaced today as being on the much-speculated-about short list of possible successors to retiring Supreme Justice John Paul Stevens.

"First Read," NBC's weekday morning update e-mail, reported "people outside the government but familiar with White House thinking say the serious contenders" are Granholm and four others.

The Associated Press reported today, "The president is seriously reviewing about 10 people," including the term-limited Granholm who is in her final year as Michigan's Democratic governor.

Those news items followed a piece on The New Times' Web site late Monday citing an unnamed "White House official" confirming Granholm is on Obama's list.

Russell Wheeler, a court expert at the Brookings Institution, says Granholm's chances depend on whether Obama is looking for a conventional pick, a respected judge who can quickly go through the confirmation process, or wants to shake up the court with a politician who brings empathy from having dealt with average people's problems.

"It's a question of what the White House is balancing," Wheeler said. "Granholm's pluses include that she would bring empathy as the governor of a state that has had such high unemployment. She's also young and she's a woman."

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From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100413/POLITICS03/4130423/Granholm-reportedly-on-Supreme-Court-short-list#ixzz0l24elZEF