USA : Biden announces Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court @CNN
President Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Friday, setting in motion a historic confirmation process for the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the nation. "Today, as we watch freedom and liberty under attack abroad, I'm here to fulfill my responsibilities under the Constitution, to preserve freedom and liberty here in the United States of America," Biden said at the White House as he introduced Jackson. "For too long, our government, our courts haven't looked like America," Biden said. "I believe it's time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level." Senate Democratic leaders hope to have a vote confirming Jackson to the court by mid-April. Jackson, 51, currently sits on DC's federal appellate court and had been considered the front-runner for the vacancy since Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement. "I must begin these very brief remarks by thanking God for delivering me to this point in my professional journey. My life has been blessed beyond measure and I do know that one can only come this far by faith," Jackson said. "Among my many blessings, and indeed the very first, is the fact that I was born in this great country," she added. "The United States of America is the greatest beacon of hope and democracy the world has ever known. I was also blessed from my early days to have had a supportive and loving family. My mother and father, who have been married for 54 years, are at their home in Florida right now and I know that they could not be more proud." Though historic, the choice of Jackson will not change the ideological makeup of the court. The court currently has six conservative justices and three liberal justices -- and the retiring Breyer comes from the liberal camp. The court is already poised to continue its turn toward the right with high-profile cases and rulings expected from the court in the coming months on abortion, gun control and religious liberty issues. Biden met with Jackson for her Supreme Court interview earlier this month, a senior administration official said, in a meeting that the White House managed to keep secret. Jackson received and accepted Biden's offer in a call Thursday night, a source familiar with the decision told CNN, yet was present for DC Circuit Court hearings Friday morning. The White House considered delaying the announcement, given the Russian invasion in Ukraine, but believed it was critical to get the second phase of the confirmation process moving, the official said. Chance to excite Democrats Biden's pick is a chance for him to fire up a Democratic base that is less excited to vote in this year's midterm elections than it has been over the past several election cycles. The selection gives Biden a chance to deliver on one of his top campaign promises, and he'll hope that the Black voters who were crucial to his election win will see this as a return on their investment. While Jackson was the leading contender, the official said the President gave "considerable weight" to other finalists, including Judge J. Michelle Childs and California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger. For more than a year, the President had familiarized himself with her work, reading many of her opinions and other writings, along with those of other contenders. But Biden was also was impressed by her life story, including her rise from federal public defender to federal appellate judge -- and her upbringing as the daughter of two public school teachers and administrators. "Her parents grew up with segregation, but never gave up hope that their children would enjoy the true promise of America," the President said Friday. "Her opinions are always carefully reasoned, tethered to precedent and demonstrate respect for how the law impacts everyday people," Biden said. "It doesn't mean she puts her thumb on the scale of justice one way or the other. But she understands the broader impacts of her decisions, whether it's cases addressing the rights of workers or government service. She cares about making sure that our democracy works for the American people. She listens. She looks people in the eye -- lawyers, defendants victims and families -- and she strives ensure that everyone understands why she made a decision, what the law is, and what it means to them. She strives to be fair, to get it right, to do justice. That's something all of us should remember. And it's something I've thought about throughout this process." Nomination process @USATODAY @tudn_usa @Allinonechaska @JoeBiden @USAMilitaryChannel @tvbusa @CNN @CNNIDOFFICIAL @cnnee #USATodayAllInOne #todayusagesinternet #biden #joe #cnn
