Kagan Exercise

The confirmation hearings for Elena Kagan began today.  The Democrats have enough votes to confirm her to the Supreme Court, but the hearings will go on as a formality.

Last April, I pointed out that President Barack Obama voted against both of President Bush's Supreme Court nominations as a Senator (Alito and Roberts... who were both confirmed, of course).

As Rush Limbaugh lovingly reminded his audience today, Barack Obama in 2008 also said he would've voted against confirming Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.  Based on what?-- lack of experience, of course:



So, I thought a quick comparison of 2 resumes would prove informative...



Elena Kagan
Harvard Law

1987-1988
Law Clerk for Judge Abner Mikva of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and for Justice Thurgood Marshall of the U.S. Supreme Court

1988-1991
Associate with Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C.

1991-1995
Professor at University of Chicago Law School

1995-1999

Associate White House Counsel for President Bill Clinton

2000-2003
Professor at Harvard Law School
2003-2009
Dean of Harvard Law School
2005-2008
Research Advisory Council of the Goldman Sachs Global Markets Institute
2009-2010
U.S. Solicitor General
2010
Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court

Clarence Thomas
Yale Law

1974-1977
Assistant Attorney General of Missouri 1977-1979
Attorney with Monsanto Company in St. Louis, Missouri
1979-1981
Legislative Assistant handling energy issues for the Senate Commerce Committee
1981-1982
Assistant Secretary of Education for the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education.
1982-1990
Chairman of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
1991
Appointed and confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court

"I don't think he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker"

 Really... I just created this post to have an excuse to re-use that image of Elena Kagan.