Perhaps acknowledging rumors that GOP senators may filibuster Obama's next Supreme Court nominee, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said today she hopes there is a "productive and civil exchange" regarding the nominee to replace Justice John Paul Stevens.
Klobuchar, who has herself been the subject of Supreme Court rumors, released an otherwise generic statement following Stevens' retirement announcement today. Appearing on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show earlier this week, Klobuchar elaborated on the threat of a filibuster. "When you look at the Supreme Court justice nominee, and whoever it's going to be, the point of this is that the American people want us to keep working on jobs, financial regulation, to move forward on home-grown energy," Klobuchar said. "And they do it at their own peril if they want to devote the summer to blocking a nominee." Klobuchar and Sen. Al Franken both sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will eventually vet whoever is chosen as the nominee. Franken's statement today was also fairly boilerplate. "I hope that President Obama will nominate a successor who shares Justice Stevens' values and commitment to the rule of law," Franken said.
