Three Great Suggestions for Supreme Court Replacements

Like the swine flu, the recession and Somali pirate attacks, David Souter's plan to leave the Supreme Court in June is probably surprising to the White House. Barack Obama now faces another test, this one of ultimate political might.


Who should Obama choose as Souter's replacement? Surely the president must pick someone from a pool of like-minded liberal judges to maintain the seesaw balance of the country's highest court. And obviously, the new judge should be apolitical, a moderate with a paper trail of neutral decisions. Yet to prove that the president is truly bipartisan, he must pick a conservative justice to show that he is above politics.

Sounds easy enough. But here are some figures who might be a good wild-card choice for a president wanting to really change Washington.

1. Michael Steele. The chairman of the Republican National Committee is unpredictable, independent and gutsy, not to mention "urban-suburban." On Thursday, Steele said his own party is being "disingenuous" for blaming Democrats for the poor economy when Republicans offered $700 billion to "start nationalizing the banking system." Before that, he said getting an abortion is an "individual choice." Don't forget his "slum love" props to Bobby Jindal and remarks that civil unions are "crazy."

Clearly the guy isn't getting the party talking points, which is exactly what Obama should want in the high court's newest addition. Another plus: He's black, which might settle the furor over a Cabinet that is about as diverse as a Connecticut high school graduation party.

2. Chesley Sullenberger. This one's a cakewalk. The brave pilot who saved his crew and passengers in January has no public political views, and short of Jack Bauer, he's the only tested hero walking this earth (don't tell me that Jack Bauer isn't real). With Sully, we know his ability to think through critical decisions and improvise. The guy turned the Hudson River into a runway.

Sully's confirmation hearings would also be quicker than the time it takes Congress to pass a non-binding resolution congratulating the winner of the Super Bowl. Show me the senator who's going to challenge the Hero of the Hudson.

Bonus: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave Sully the key to the city. So if the court needs any special evidence about Timothy Geithner's power plays when he was the Fed chairman, it need look no further than its new freshman. I'm assuming the key opens everything in New York.

3. Arlen Specter. This guy's almost too easy to tap. Specter is the whole package: Democrat, Republican, Democrat; Obama's friend, Obama's foe. We know that the president called up the Pennsylvania senator Tuesday and said that the Democrats are "thrilled to have you." Maybe it's time to follow through on that promise. No one could blame Obama for political pandering if he chose Specter – to which party would he be pandering?

Specter switched parties Tuesday, becoming a Democrat for the first time since the last time he was a Democrat. And on his first day as a born-again, he voted against Obama's budget. That doesn't just say that Specter's a maverick; it says that he's ready to make impartial calls at the highest level.

Although the confirmation hearings might be sticky. Specter isn't the most popular guy these days in the Senate, which must vote on all of Obama's appointments. And Specter is one of those senators.

Maybe he would even vote against himself.