Elena Kagan Tapped For Supreme Court

Elena Kagan, Supreme Court nominee

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Monday nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, declaring she would demonstrate the same independence, integrity and passion for the law exhibited by retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

If confirmed by the Senate, Kagan would become the third woman on the high court. At 50, she is relatively young for the lifetime post and could help shape the high court's decisions for decades.

The former Harvard Law School dean "is widely regarded as one of the nation's foremost legal minds," Obama said. He introduced her in the White House East Room as "my friend."

Kagan said she was "honored and humbled by this nomination." She called it "the honor of a lifetime."

"I look forward to working with the Senate and thank you, Mr. President, for this honor of a lifetime."

Obama cited what he called Kagan's "openness to a broad array of viewpoints" and her "fair mindedness." LinkHere