cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15981570

President Joe Biden promised Black voters Wednesday that he would appoint progressives to the US Supreme Court if elected to a second term, suggesting he expects vacancies on the high court over the next four years.

“The next president, they’re going to be able to appoint a couple justices, and I’ll be damned — if in fact we’re able to change some of the justices when they retire and put in really progressive judges like we’ve always had, tell me that won’t change your life,” he said during a campaign rally in Philadelphia.

It was as explicit a warning as Biden could offer about the stakes of the upcoming election, and a clear reminder that some of the nine justices have entered their seventies.

Clarence Thomas is 75 and Samuel Alito is 74; both are conservative and appointed by Republican presidents. Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal who was nominated by President Barack Obama, turns 70 next month.

  • @bazus1@lemmy.world
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    1128 days ago

    Mr. President, are you expecting some court vacancies?
    – Oh indeed I am.
    How soon sir?
    – in five.
    Five what sir?
    –four.

  • @ChicoSuave@lemmy.world
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    328 days ago

    Does he have a strategy for getting Senate approval too or is this just a token gesture that he expects to die to bad faith right wing politicians?

    • @TVgog56789@lemy.lolOPM
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      227 days ago

      Senate approval is not the biggest issue. The problem is in America there is no term limit for supreme court judges.

      So either five of them had to die or resign. Either way it’s out of his hands.