By , ,
Published December 23, 2015
Before the official announcement that he had tapped U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, President Obama reached out to the Senate's newest member, Sen. Scott Brown, R-MA, to inform him of his choice.
Brown spokeswoman Gail Gitcho tells Fox, "He told (the President) he would keep an open mind."
And White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was burning up the phone lines reaching out to other moderates, as well, calling Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine.
Collins said in a statement, "I told him that I look forward to meeting with her to learn more about her experience and the judicial philosophy she would bring to the Court," and the senator promised to watch the confirmation hearings closely.
Snowe, like Collins, refused to express support for Kagan, but said she would review the nominee's record carefully and give her a fair hearing.
"Solicitor General Elena Kagan appears to present strong intellectual credentials and, as the process moves forward, I look forward to learning more about her experience and expertise, and to meeting with her to discuss a variety of issues, including how she would characterize her judicial philosophy," Snowe said in a statement, "I will apply to this nominee the same standard of review that I have in the past -- that any Supreme Court nominee should bring a balanced approach to cases, possess a strong intellect and suitable judicial temperament, and follow a disciplined judicial methodology in reaching decisions."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-rahm-already-selling-elena-kagan-to-moderates