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Obama noms for judgeships gotta have heart

By Richard Binder

President Obama is preparing to name six new federal judges for California, an opportunity to put his stamp on the judiciary that has court-watchers recalling his campaign promises to be bipartisan in his selections. Many liberals say they are hoping Obama appoints lower-court judges and legal scholars guided by sympathy as well as the law, in keeping with his other promise to name judges with "empathy" and "heart." 

By summer, the president will likely have put that initial stamp on the local judiciary, with seats open in San Jose and San Francisco. In addition, the White House will be selecting Northern California's new U.S. attorney, the region's top law enforcement official, as well as a new U.S. marshal for the area. The White House is also expected to handle nominations to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which currently has two vacancies and a third that will come open at the end of this year.

Senate Republicans have already signaled their intent to challenge any Obama choices they consider too liberal by filibustering, a threat that could stall the administration's plans to quickly fill the 65 vacancies nationwide.

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on March 16, 2009 (boomark / email).