HMM, INTERESTING, NOT A LIBERAL IDEOLOGUE – AT 8:08 A.M. ET:  The president is mulling candidates for the Supreme Court:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Obama has accelerated his search for his next Supreme Court nominee, meeting in the Oval Office with one of the candidates, federal Judge Sidney Thomas of Montana, a person familiar with the conversation says.

Mr. Obama's meeting with Judge Thomas on Thursday was his first known formal interview for the upcoming vacancy on the court. He is holding conversations with other candidates, and it is not clear whether he has already had other personal meetings with contenders...

...the personal time Mr. Obama devoted to Judge Thomas suggests that the federal judge, well respected within legal circles but hardly a familiar name in Washington, is under a higher level of consideration by the president.

And...

The court is dominated by justices with ties to the Northeast and the Ivy League; Judge Thomas' career is rooted in the West -- he lives in Billings, Mont., and earned his bachelor's degree from Montana State University and his law degree from the University of Montana.

And...

The 56-year-old judge serves on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the largest of the nation's appellate courts. He was nominated to that job in July 1995 by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the Senate with no controversy.

The San Francisco-based appeals court on which he serves has a liberal reputation, but attorneys who know Judge Thomas describe him as independent and a straight-shooter.

COMMENT:  We'll wait for a more complete analysis of how straight a shooter he is.  But, on balance, he'd probably be as good as it gets for an Obama appointee.

April 30, 2010