It may be weeks or even months before U.S. President Barack Obama announces his first appointment to the United States Supreme Court. But, he is already getting a lot of advice from members of Congress about a possible replacement for retiring Justice David Souter.
美国总统奥巴马可能要在几个星期，甚至几个月之后，才能宣布他将任命谁来接替即将退休的大法官苏特。这将是他第一次提名最高法院大法官。不过，他已经得到了国会议员们的许多建议。
The newest Democrat in the U.S. Senate - former Republican Arlen Specter - is urging the president to add to the diversity of the court.
美国国会参议院最新的民主党成员，前共和党人斯佩克特敦促奥巴马总统提高最高法院法官的多样性。
"Women are underrepresented on the court," said Arlen Specter. "We do not have an Hispanic. African-Americans are underrepresented."
他说：“在最高法院中，女性法官的比例过低。我们也没有拉美裔大法官。非洲裔美国人的比例也过低。”
During an appearance on the NBC television program Meet the Press, Specter said he would also like to see the president reach beyond the federal court system - the traditional training ground for members of the high court.
斯佩克特在全国广播公司“面对媒体”节目上说，他还希望看到奥巴马总统到联邦法院系统以外去寻找新的大法官。一般来说，最高法院的大法官都是先在联邦法院系统工作一段时间。
"I would hope that he would look beyond the Circuit Courts of Appeals, which now populate the Supreme Court, and pick someone with greater world experience," he said.
他说：“现在，最高法院的法官大多来自联邦巡回上诉法院系统，我希望总统能把眼光放到这个系统以外，挑选一位更具国际经验的人。”
One name raised as a possible nominee is Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. She has never been a judge, but has served as governor and attorney general of the state of Arizona. During an appearance on the Fox News Sunday program, Napolitano was asked is she is interested in a spot on the Supreme Court.
一个被人们认为有希望获得提名的人是美国国土安全部长纳波利塔诺。她从来没当过法官，但曾经当过亚利桑纳州州长和检察长。纳波利塔诺在接受福克斯周日新闻节目采访时被问到是否有兴趣成为最高法院法官。
Napolitano brushed off the suggestion, noting she has plenty to do right now overseeing the federal government's response to the H1N1 flu.
不过，她拒绝了这个建议，并说自己现在忙着管理联邦政府应对甲型H1N1流感病毒的事，已经有足够多的工作要做了。
"I think the president has many, many excellent choices before him and that is his choice to make," said Janet Napolitano.
她说：“我认为，总统有许许多多非常优秀的候选人可选，而且最终决定要由总统来做。”
The replacement of Justice Souter is not likely to radically change the ideological composition of the court. Souter was considered a moderate who often sided with the more liberal justices.
任何人选来接替苏特大法官都不大可能会给改变最高法院的意识形态。苏特被认为是一个温和派法官，他通常支持那些意见更加倾向自由派的法官。
Republican Senator Orrin Hatch - like Senator Specter - is a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He told ABC's This Week program that he expects the president will pick someone with a liberal record on major issues.
共和党参议员哈奇和斯佩克特一样，曾经当过参议院司法委员会主席。他对美国广播公司“本周”节目说，他估计总统会挑选一位曾在重大问题上支持自由派观点的人。
"I am hoping he will pick someone with great dimension," said Orrin Hatch. "We all know he is going to pick a more liberal justice."
他说：“我希望他能挑选一个思想开放的人。我们都知道他会选一个更倾向自由派的法官。”
The current chair of the Senate Judiciary panel - Democrat Patrick Leahy - says he will do all he can to make sure a new justice is confirmed by the time the Supreme Court reconvenes on October 5.
参议院司法委员会现任主席、民主党参议员莱希说，他将竭尽全力确保新法官在10月5号新一届最高法院会议开始前得到确认。
"We certainly will have somebody in place," said Patrick Leahy. "It would be irresponsible if we did not have somebody in place by the beginning of the October session."
他在“本周”节目上说：“我们一定会在10月5号前确认大法官的人选。否则就是不负责任了。”
Leahy also appeared on ABC's This Week.
莱希也在美国广播公司“本周”节目上接受采访。 |