Ginsburg: If I Resigned, Obama Couldn’t Appoint ‘Someone Like Me’

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg smiles while speaking to the Northern Virginia Technology Council, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, in Reston, Va. She took part in what event organizers describe as a "fireside chat"... Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg smiles while speaking to the Northern Virginia Technology Council, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, in Reston, Va. She took part in what event organizers describe as a "fireside chat" with former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson. Olson served as solicitor general from 2001 to 2004 under President George W. Bush and is still a frequent advocate before the court. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has a message for progressives who want her to retire under President Barack Obama: That ain’t happening, and even if I did, my replacement would be nothing like me.

The leader of the Supreme Court’s liberal wing told Elle magazine that if she did so, Obama would not be able to secure Senate approval for “anyone I would like to see in the court.”

Here’s a snippet from that interview:

I’m not sure how to ask this, but a lot of people who admire and respect you wonder if you’ll resign while President Obama is in office.

Who do you think President Obama could appoint at this very day, given the boundaries that we have? If I resign any time this year, he could not successfully appoint anyone I would like to see in the court. [The Senate] took off the filibuster for lower federal court appointments, but it remains for this court. So anybody who thinks that if I step down, Obama could appoint someone like me, they’re misguided. As long as I can do the job full steam…. I think I’ll recognize when the time comes that I can’t any longer. But now I can.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for meri meri says:

    Totally agree. Probably couldn’t have managed it when they had 59 Democrats in the Senate, either.

  2. how sad but s o true she has always been wise in her legal arguments and in her life style a true american patriot who bleliseve in justice for all

  3. Avatar for bonnie bonnie says:

    She is a great woman, who other women should look up to. I agree with her; and, wish her many more years of a long and productive life.

  4. hang in there. love you.

  5. Avatar for bdtex bdtex says:

    And that’s assuming he’d want to nominate someone as progressive as her. I’m not so sure he would.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

59 more replies

Participants

Avatar for bdtex Avatar for alphadad Avatar for meri Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for baronsieggy Avatar for mymy Avatar for zoester Avatar for gtomkins Avatar for headlight Avatar for sniffit Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for daveyjones64 Avatar for americandoughboy Avatar for magical_panda Avatar for chadingo Avatar for kitty Avatar for themiddleman Avatar for c6Logic Avatar for smokinthegotp Avatar for fiftygigs Avatar for occamsrazor2 Avatar for bluejoubert Avatar for NCBlue Avatar for ElephantInTheRoom

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: