Obama could even be a Supreme Court Justice

[liberalpragmatist]

I know - another Obama thread.

The funny thing is that I actually would probably vote for John Edwards right now for the presidential nominee, but I'll certainly consider Obama and I hope he's the vice-presidential nominee. And if he's the presidential nominee I'll still be very happy.

Even so, it occurs to me that AFTER serving as president or IN LIEU of serving as president, Obama would still be young enough (and qualified) to be on the Supreme Court, ala William Howard Taft. He taught constitutional law, was editor of Harvard Law Review and is a disciple of Laurence Tribe (who called Obama "one of his two most talented students"). In 2017, he'd only be 56.

Barack Obama:

Senator: 2005-2009
President: 2009-2017
SC Justice: 2017-?

[Hosnon]

1. Perhaps pull a "Taft" and be President and Chief Justice?

I think it is so meaningful that we label those nine as the personification of justice...

[liberalpragmatist]

3. My guess is John Roberts will be Chief Justice for the next 30 years or more

So Chief Justice is probably out.

[Hosnon]

4. Yeah I agree. Justice Roberts is young. But, hey:

I like Justice Roberts. Regardless of his ideology, he knows his law. I think he is one of the best picks in a long time.

[Journeyman]

5. Except Chief Justice Roberts is only 51 years old. . .

and will be on the Court the rest of his life, and most likely the rest of Mr Obamas' life.

The most critical election of our lifetimes was in 2004. That's the reality we'll live with the rest of our days.

[Hosnon]

2. I want him to be the Veep for Gore in 2009...after that:)

[EST]

6. Dang it!!

We hired him and elected him to do a job-junior senator from Illinois. He owes us-at least a full term.

Imagine how pissed the citizens of New York would have been had Hillary R C gone gallivanting off to run for prez in 2004!

I worked hard to get him elected and I will do everything I can do to prevent this ill advised foray into presidential politics.
Not only that, should he take a shot at the nomination
and lose, I will do everything I can to unseat him from any further senatorial ambitions.

[Tellurian]

7. I don't know if I'd go that far..

But he is green as grass and as far as his foray into presidential
politics, I watched him on Leno the other night, and received bad
vibes as to him progressing in that direction any further.

Early on for his vulnerabilities to be showing so soon. Like a teenage
girl dancing with her slip showing at her first father daughter dance.

[BluegrassDem]

8. There's only one way to know he's vulnerable

and that's to run for president. Plain and simple. We can talk all day and night about whether he's green or not, but the world of presidential politics is rough and tumble. Only the strong survive. So if he's got the right stuff, it'll show. If he has a glass jaw, then he'll wilt. But the only way to find out is to run!

[EST]

9. We cannot afford for him to have a "glass jaw" in a national race

Furthermore, his only opponent on the national stage-after some enterprising private citizens did a bit of sleuthing and destroyed his primary opponents for him-was Alan Keyes, for god's sake!

This is not a time for rock stars; it is a time for mature, internationally experienced leadership.

[beaconess]

11. You DO know there will be primaries before the general election, right?

Obama's not going to be coronated and then run as the party nominee without having to go through a trial by fire in the primaries. If he doesn't have what it takes, he won't make it through the primaries, plain and simple.

I really don't understand why some people are so reluctant to let him try. We have more than half a dozen possible Democratic candidares right now. Only one of them (or someone else not yet on the radar screen) will win the nomination. The rest will lose. Obama might be one of them. It happens. What's the big deal?

[Tellurian]

13. Nah...there are better ways than a sink or swim

do or die method you're advocating as THEE only way!..

My method would be advocating how seriously my candidate wants to win.
And having the team in place with the ability to put out all the little fires
that ensue when you delve into the unknown. In the case of a giant tsunami, consisting entirely
of REepublican spin, you have to have the right people in place capable of disarming,
the next potentially fatal scandal.

What you're advocating is a Kerryesque campaign...NO THANKS!

[beaconess]

10. Interesting!

[leesa]

12. How about the Messiah? I can't believe how susceptible Americans

are to marketing!

The guy's barely done anything and he's been a finger-in-the-wind type with everything he has done.

Get a grip folks.