Search for Justice Easier Now

With President Obama expected to announce his Supreme Court nominee as early as Monday, The Washington Post says his decision-process has come a long way since his selection of Sonia Sotomayor, which was just four months into his term. This time, the White House is more confident, more aggressive in responding to criticism, and has a new team of officials—including Robert Bauer and Susan Davies in the counsel’s office—overseeing the selection process. Speculation has centered on Solicitor General Elena Kagan. With its new strategy, the administration hit back hard on blog rumors that Kagan would be the first gay justice. "It meant we adopted a posture that was, I think, more aggressive in, frankly, protecting the president's ability to make a selection," one administration official told the paper. Another factor? Between the Times Square bombing, the Wall Street anxiety crisis, and the Gulf oil spill, the administration is too busy to accept a drawn-out nomination.