It’s been such a bleak news week that I thought some good news was in order. President Biden is nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace the Supreme for whom she clerked, Stephen Breyer. It’s the sensible choice. Judge Jackson has been confirmed twice by the senate, the second time by *this* senate 53-44.

The romantic in me hoped that they’d go outside the Harvard-Yale-Federal Judge complex, but it was not to be. I should have known better: Biden picked the frontrunner to be his Veep and he’s done the same thing with Judge Jackson. Biden has made history twice by selecting Kamala Harris and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Well done, sir.

As a former criminal lawyer, I like her background in criminal justice reform as well as her years as a federal public defender. She’s a conventional choice in many ways but this part of her CV is not. She’s the first public defender to be named to SCOTUS. For more background info, get thee to an explainer by Ian Millhiser at Vox.

Biden has been criticized for announcing in advance that he was selecting a Black woman for SCOTUS. I’m here to praise him for keeping a campaign promise. Black women are the most loyal part of the Democratic coalition. If it was okay for Reagan to make and keep a similar promise, it’s okay for Biden. Besides, O’Connor was easily Reagan’s best nominee.

Republican opposition to the Jackson nomination is likely to be ugly and racist. Anyone surprised?

Three GOPers voted to confirm her for the appellate bench: Graham, Collins, and Murkowski. The latter faces a challenge from a Trumper in her 2022 reelection race but it still the most likely aye vote. Murkowski is a genuine conservative not an unprincipled hack like Graham and Collins. Judge Jackson grew up in Miami but is unlikely to be supported by Bat Boy and born-again Trump lackey, Marco Rubio.

Graham has already developed a case of judicial vote amnesia:

If media reports are accurate, and Judge Jackson has been chosen as the Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice Breyer, it means the radical Left has won President Biden over yet again.

The attacks by the Left on Judge Childs from South Carolina apparently worked.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) February 25, 2022

Anyone surprised?

Stay tuned.

Finally, I stole the post title from Lawrence O’Donnell. I only steal from the best.

I try to avoid the obvious in selecting a last word. Sometimes, the obvious choice is simply the best. The last word goes to Tina Turner.