Newswise — "Perhaps the most interesting dynamic emergent from the impending resignation of Justice David Souter is the fact that it creates a vacancy so early in President Barack Obama's term," says University of Maryland political communication expert Trevor Parry-Giles, who has written extensively about the political side of supreme court nominations. "The most recent incidents of such an early vacancy both resulted in dramatic and significant appointments - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's appointment in 1993 and Sandra Day O'Connor's in 1981."
Parry-Giles wrote "The Character of Justice: Rhetoric, Law, and Politics in the Supreme Court Confirmation Process" (2006), which has been honored with the Diamond Anniversary Book Award, National Communication Association (2007) and The Kohrs-Campbell Prize in Rhetorical Criticism (2007).
Parry-Giles can comment on both the historical, political and rhetorical considerations.
"Nominations to the Court at such an early point in a presidential term are a prized opportunity for the appointing president to make a statement, to find a dramatic or particularly compelling nominee for the Court that shakes things up, either ideologically or in terms of enhanced diversity in the Court's membership," Parry-Giles adds. "Given his appointment record thus far, look for President Obama to find a nominee who makes just such a statement. Of course, the other dynamic at work in the Obama nominations to either Cabinet or ambassadorial posts is the lurking problem in a nominee's record - unpaid taxes, etc. The vetting process for a potential Court nominee will need to be rigorous and exacting - the Obama administration will want no surprises as the confirmation process unfolds."
Other UMD experts articulate on the various aspects of the nomination process are listed online: http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/experts/hottopic.cfm?hotlist_id=17
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