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May 24, 2009 01:33 AM UTC

Justice Ken Salazar, Anyone?

  • 29 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

This just up on the CNN Political Ticker:

Colorado’s top elected Democrats are urging President Obama to look west for his Supreme Court nominee – pushing the Secretary of the Interior, native son Ken Salazar, for the opening.

Gov. Bill Ritter and Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennett sent the letter to the White House Thursday asking Salazar be given “serious consideration for this crucial appointment”.

In the letter, they said Salazar “brings the perspective of a Westerner and one of the Hispanic community’s leading voices.” Describing his rise from “humble beginnings in Colorado’s rural San Luis Valley” to state Attorney General and senator, they tout him as a contender “who can add a new perspective to the court.”

Salazar is one of two members of the president’s cabinet who has been mentioned for the court vacancy, along with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

And from the Denver Post:

Gov. Bill Ritter and the state’s two freshman senators are asking President Barack Obama to “seriously consider” appointing Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a letter sent to the White House Friday, the Democrats touted the diversity and unique experience Salazar would bring to the bench – a Westerner who from hard-scrabble beginnings has risen to become one of the country’s most successful Latino politicians.

“He would provide the viewpoint of a Western and Latino leader and bring a wealth of experience from his many years in both the public and private sectors,” Ritter said of the push to consider Salazar to fill the spot being vacated by retiring Justice David Souter.

The push by Colorado Democrats to boost one of their own appears somewhat last minute, coming as reports suggest that Obama could announce a pick as soon as Tuesday…

Provincial boosterism, or might the upwardly-mobile Salazar land himself a much longer term gig? You can’t argue with a former state Attorney General and U.S. Senator’s qualifications, but there might be some questions from liberals who are happy to see Salazar dealing with energy policy as opposed to, say, civil liberties. And think of it–a member of the “Gang of 14” calling in his chits?

Oh yeah, and what about Christine Arguello? Not getting a local endorsement apparently.

A poll follows.

Justice Ken Salazar, anyone?

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Comments

29 thoughts on “Justice Ken Salazar, Anyone?

  1. But since it is very clear that Obama is focusing on female candidates, their political capital would be better spent raising Christine Arguello’s profile. Instead, they wasted it.  

    1. It’s a way of making sure Salazar is on the list for the next appointment, since Obama is likely to have two more to make before long.  

        1. I say a last-minute attempt to score points with Hispanic voters still angry with Ritter for appointing Bennet to Salazar’s seat.

          Let’s call the whole thing off!

          Seriously, the time to send this letter was two weeks ago, not on the eve of the nomination.  

          1. Waving the white flag sets low expectations.  The Prez has 2-3 more shots in the next 7.5 years. Kenny’ll get a shot once he’s proved himself at Interior and if Obama sees him as SCOTUS material.

            The attempt to suck up to the Hispanic vote lacks dignity … on par with a claim that one would have voted for xyz had the chance to do so occurred.

  2. Ken Salazar for the United States Supreme Court

    Campaign Chairman Tom Strickland

    There is no way that Obama will appoint someone who might turn out to be the second coming of Byron “Whizzer” White

      1. to be Hispanic, he also wants somebody with enough oomph and star quality to stand up to the Scalia wing and wants the youngest of the best picks possible.  

        If he picks a really stellar, brilliant relatively young woman now, especially  a non-Hispanic woman, there could be room for a Ken Salazar next.

        Salazar is a bit too underwhelming in style and less than dazzling in intellect to be Obama’s first SCOTUS pick. Salazar is far more workmanlike than brilliant and I don’t think that combo will cut it for the Obama SCOTUS debut pick.

    1. Salazar to deny any interest just like Ritter denying any interest in the VP nomination.

      This form of self promotion is entertaining if nothing else.

  3. Because I really like the man.

    I think it’s important for him to be right where he is for the next few years.

    There’s a lot of bad stuff that’s happened to our land in the last eight years.  Where Salazar is at the moment, he’s positioned to slow the deterioration at worst, fix it at best.

  4. Right after 9/11 Salazar, as was the case with most every politician, went running to wrap himself tightly in the flag. Then he went a step further and started pushing for an amendment to prohibit burning the American flag.  Now mind you, I’m not crazy about the idea of anyone burning Old Glory but I’ll defend the right of anyone to do so to the death.

    Salazar, nice guy, wrong for the highest court in the land.

      1. ThillyWabbit- You’re right that Salazar wasn’t elected to the U.S. Senate until ’04 and took office in ’05 BUT what was he doing before that- Colorado’s State Attorney General and it was in that role he started his push for the flag burning amendment.

    1. One political theory holds that he’ll select persons under 50; his decisions can be valued much higher as their terminal value won’t be fully gauged for 2-4 decades.

  5. An 11th hour push for Salazar for this position means just one thing, Ritter, Udall and Bennet trying to appeal to Hispanic voters.  Its just that simple, Salzar doesn’t have a shot, Ritter, Udall and Bennet are really just as well pleased to have Salazar in the Sec. of the Interior slot to look out for the interest of us folks out West.  Obama is happy with Salazar right where he is and Salazar at least claims to not want the job.

    BTW- The first line in the article should be more like ‘Colorado’s top elected and appointed officials…’ since I don’t remember seeing Bennet on any ballots.

  6. are greatly underestimating Salazar’s inellect and ability to influence others.  He was largely responsible for cobbling together the “Gang of 14” that effectively killed the Republicans usage of the “Nuclear option”.

    The man also has guts…recall his equating James Dobson with the anti-Christ?

    Having said that, Salazar is a bit too conservative for my liking on the court at this time.  Obama needs to go left….way, way, left for his first appointment.

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