Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., reacts passionately to a question about President Obama's next Supreme Court nominee as Judiciary member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., looks on. (Credit: Amy Harder)
The Senate had barely finished its roll call vote on Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation before reporters started asking about President Obama's next nominee to the Supreme Court. When Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy was asked during a press conference whether he would advise Obama to nominate anyone he wants since Republicans have signaled they will vote against anyone he picks, the Vermont Democrat slammed his fists down on the podium in response.
"I would advise the president do exactly -- exactly -- what he did this time: Pick the most qualified person possible and nominate them," Leahy said in a press conference just minutes after the Senate voted 68-31 to confirm Sotomayor. "That's what he did, and that's what he will do with another vacancy." Leahy was accompanied by nine of his Democratic colleagues, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
The White House was a bit more restrained in its response. In the daily briefing today ahead of the vote, press secretary Robert Gibbs said that he didn't "have any news to report on what happens if there is another vacancy."
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