Daily News Channel
As Supreme Court hopeful Sonia Sotomayor breaks ground for Hispanics, she is poised to add an exclamation point to another historic demographic shift: the move to a Catholic court. Sotomayor was raised Catholic and if she is confirmed, six out of nine, or two-thirds of the justices on the court will be from the faith. Catholics make up about one-quarter of the U.S
A process begun months ago among White House lawyers to quietly compile a list of possible Supreme Court picks has accelerated with word Justice David Souter plans to step down form the bench later this year. The nominee would give President Obama an immediate opportunity to place his stamp on the nation’s highest court, and perhaps to begin cementing his legacy with a lifetime appointment to that bench. Obama on Friday said he will seek “somebody with a sharp, independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity.” That person must honor traditions, respect the judicial process and share Obama’s grasp of constitutional values, he said