Obama Makes His First Judicial Nomination: Indiana Moderate David Hamilton-- Republican Far Right Obstructionists Are Hysterical Already

A few weeks ago the Grand Obstructionist Party threatened to filibuster all President Obama's judicial nominees. Every single one of them signed a letter making all sorts of pompous demands that flew in the face of the Constitution-- and in the face of Republican practices over the 8 years. If all 41 of them actually stuck together and filibustered all President Obama's nominees, they could actually stop any judges from being voted on and confirmed. Basically the organizers of this stunt-- Miss McConnell, Jon Kyl, Jim DeMint, Richard Burr, Tom Coburn and John Cornyn-- were demanding that Obama continue to appoint right-wing extremists to the federal judiciary, the same kind of garbage that Bush had been stocking the bench with.

The President gave the extremists his answer today: a moderate, well respected trial judge, David Hamilton from Indiana to sit on the Chicago-based Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. And this first judicial pick has been wholeheartedly endorsed by both Indiana Senators, conservatove Democrat Evan Bayh and moderate Republican Dick Lugar. Obama will start rolling out his first judicial nominees over the next few weeks but one White House aid, probably Emanuel, told the NY Times that "part of the reason for making the Hamilton nomination the administration’s first public entry into the often contentious field of judicial selection was to serve 'as a kind of signal' about the kind of nominees Mr. Obama will select... 'We would like to put the history of the confirmation wars behind us.'"

Hamilton has been on the bench since 1994 when he was appointed by Bill Clinton. People For the American Way president, Kathryn Kolbert, signaled satisfaction from progressives:

David Hamilton is an ideal choice for this seat. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a willingness to put principle ahead of politics and bring an open mind to every case. Judge Hamilton has shown a deep commitment to the rule of law and core constitutional principles of liberty, equality, and justice for all Americans. 
 
I’m encouraged not only that President Obama has made such a strong choice, but by his success in reaching across the aisle and winning the support of both of Indiana’s Senators. This is a very good sign for the caliber of nominees we can expect from this president. I urge the Senate to move quickly to confirm him.

With Bayh and Lugar behind the nomination, it is unlikely that any conservative Democrats will oppose the nomination and even if every other Republican fillibusters-- which is extremely unlikely-- Hamilton will still be confirmed. But there is already grousing about the nomination from the far right fringe of the GOP. The Republicans who oppose separation of Church and State hate Hamilton and will work with Senate radicals like DeMint, Burr and Cornyn to stir up a contentious, divisive debate. One of the lowbrow Federalist Society/GOP radical front groups Judicial Confirmation Network is already screaming hysterically that Hamilton is "an ultra-liberal."