Page 16 - Consensus Builder News Today

Respected for achievements, but her temperament, her openness to a broad array of viewpoints. her habit to borrow a phrase from justice stevens, of understanding before disagreeing, her fair-mindedness and skill as a consensus builder. >> paul: that was president obama this week touting his pick for the supreme court, solicitor general, elena kagan as an independent thinker and consensus builder. were back with dan henninger and james, editorial member dorothy rabonwits joins the panel. >> i thi...

Will be interesting to listen to and in a way that will kind of make it hard for them to try to pull her out. that said, one of the most interesting things about elena kagan, when she was in the clinton white house as deputy counsel, apparently one of the most hyper political individuals inside that white house and the old saw, the justices follow the election returns, i think elena kagan will watch politics when shes making her decisions. >> paul: briefly, jane what, about the issue the preside...

Roberts is not just an example of the vague kind of situation in which elena kagan would need to be persuasive as a supreme court justice, that was the actual guy she would be trying to persuade every day for the rest of her life in this job. the funny thing is, chief justice roberts didnt sound all that persuaded in that back and forth. to the extent the court matters in terms of what american policy is, the leaders on the court matter in terms of defining what american policy is. its not just ...

Folks on capitol hill get to feel her out and see where she stands on a few things, just a sort of get to know you conversation. that being said, both sides of the aisle are trying to brandish her and trying to define her right now. the gop says shes very short on experience. does not have a lot in her background that they can figure out what it is she is going to be like on the supreme court. democrats are using words such as bridge-builder. consensus-builder. someone that can reach out across ...

Elena is respected for her not only her intellect and achievements, but also her temperament, her openness to a broad array of viewpoints. her habit, to borrow a phrase from justice stevens, of understanding before disagreeing. her fair-mindedness and skill as a consensus builder. >> if you ask her supporters her greatest assets, its her unique ability to both listen to and appeal to conservatives even though she is not considered herself to be a conservative. according to the prevailing common ...

But what youve just heard, that exchange with chief justice roberts is not just an example of the vague kind of situation in which elena kagan would need to be persuasive as a supreme court justice, that was the actual guy she would be trying to super suepersuade every day rest of this job. roberts didnt sound all that persuaded in that back and forth. to the extent the court matters in terms of what american policy is, the leaders on the court matter in terms of defining what american policy is...

Law and administrative law. >> he taught, president obama taught constitutional law as well. is that right? >> thats correct. >> so was it exactly the same subject or different aspects of constitutional law? >> well, i think elena specialized more in the first amendment and president obama taught a separate -- he taught the basic constitutional law course and also taught a course on race in the law. >> josh, when you worked with her at the white house for president clinton, she was not a lawyer....

A host of concerns arose since and well before todays announcement. mr. obamas nominee would make history, giving the court three women simultaneously and not a single protestant. mr. obama was interested in finding a judge who could at least on occasion win over what remains of the swing vote on the high court, most noticeably justice kennedy. made explicit today as one of the criteria -- >> but elenas respected and admired not just for her intellect and record of achievement but also her tempe...

Elena is respected for her intellect and temperament, her openness to a broad array of viewpoints. her habit, to borrow a phrase from justice stevens, of understanding before disagreeing. her fair mindedness and skill has a consensus builder. >> if you look at her uniquability to both listen to and appeal to conservatives even though she has not considered herself to be a conservative. elena kagan is the kind of nominee who will be able to build unexpected coalitions through her openness, her

Elena is respected and admired not just for her intellect and record of achievement but also for her temperament. her openness to a broad array of viewpoints. her habit, to borrow a phrase from justice stevens, of understanding before disagreeing. her fair-mindedness and skill as a consensus builder. >> all right. welcome back to "morning joe." a live look at the white house as the sun comes up this morning over washington. with us now from the white house, nbc news white house correspondent and...