Obama Says He Will Announce Supreme Court Pick ‘Soon’

May 23 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama said he plans to announce his choice to fill a Supreme Court vacancy “soon” and that he seeks someone who possesses intellectual heft as well as a “common touch.”

The president said he wants Senate confirmation hearings to take place in July, before lawmakers leave for summer recess. “We’re going to have an announcement soon,” Obama said in an interview with C-SPAN that will air in full today at 10 a.m. Washington time.

Obama, a former constitutional law professor, must name a replacement for Justice David Souter, who is retiring after 19 years on the highest U.S. court. The president said along with a firm grasp of the law and appreciation for the “timeless principles” of the Constitution, he seeks someone who is able to identify with the daily struggles of regular Americans.

“What I want is not just ivory tower learning,” Obama said. “I want somebody who has the intellectual firepower, but also a little bit of a common touch and has a practical sense of how the world works.”

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs yesterday refused to rule out the possibility of Obama’s pick being announced in the coming week. The president likely will do some Supreme Court- related reading while spending the weekend at presidential retreat Camp David, said Gibbs. He said he didn’t know whether Obama would be interviewing candidates over the next few days.

Importance of Empathy

Obama, when talking about the Supreme Court, stresses the importance of justices having empathy when reviewing cases.

“You have to have not only intellect to be able to effectively apply the law,” he told C-SPAN. “But you have to be able to stand in somebody else’s shoes and see through their eyes and get a sense of how the law might work or not work in practical day-to-day living.”

On timing, Obama said he wants to give his nominee enough time to be prepared to “hit the ground” running when the high court reconvenes in October. He also doesn’t want drawn out confirmation hearings.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, the two most recent additions to the court, both were confirmed in about 70 days, according to Obama. “I think that’s a fair timeframe for us to work with as well,” he said.

When asked whether there’s a justice, current or former, he considers a role model, Obama singled out Justice Antonin Scalia as a “terrific writer” and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor as one who seemed to see the “practical applications” of the law.

“She wasn’t a grand theoretician, but she ended up having an enormous influence on the law as a whole,” Obama said.

He also named Justices William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall because both men “focused on the broader sweep of history.”

Obama was asked whether he has an interest in serving on the Supreme Court, reminded that former President William Taft was on the court after his presidency.

“You know, I’m not sure that I could get through a Senate confirmation.”