In Solicitor General Elena Kagan, President Barack Obama (D-Chi) has found a Supreme Court nominee with less of a judicial paper trail than David Souter, or even Harriett Myers. While some question the wisdom of nominating an attorney with no real world experience, her defenders point to William Rehnquist, the last non-judge to ascend to the highest court in the land.
For many of those citing the Rehnquist precedent, this marks the first time in their lives they have spoken approvingly of the conservative stalwart. Even in this case, however, they overlook the fact that, despite his lack of judicial experience, Rehnquist had practiced law for more than 15 years.
This is emphatically not the case with Kagan, whose resume shows only two years' experience in the private sector. The rest of her career has been spent in academia. While spending years behind ivy-covered walls may prepare a person for many things, like obfuscation and stabbing rivals in the back, it in no way provides any practical understanding of how the real world works.
One can't help but wonder what Obama was thinking. What possessed him to believe that someone with virtually no track record, no practical experience, and no proof of any qualifications beyond a certain charisma, would be a fit for the most powerful position in her particular world?
Still, there are those who argue that Kagan's blank slate will prove to be a strength. Her lack of experience will bring a refreshing perspective to the bench.
An interesting theory. Kind of like taking your car in for service and saying, "Instead of a mechanic, I'd prefer having a hairdresser fix my brakes." Or, before undergoing surgery, requesting that a high school biology teacher do the procedure. After all, she's probably taught several students who went on to become doctors."