Janet Napolitano Considered for the Supreme Court

Some speculate that Homeland Security Janet Napolitano is in the running for President Barack Obama's nomination to the Supreme Court to fill the seat of retiring Justice David Souter. She's a long-shot -- in part because she has never expressed an interest in being on the court and in part because she has never been a judge. Most observers see her as an executive type, better suited to remain in the cabinet. But other are nervous about what she stands for and how she comes to decisions as reflected in her political career in Arizona. She has not been a liberal and certainly not a conservative. Sheriff Joe Arpaio endorsed her for her first elective job, yet she had veto some punitive state immigration legislation. She favors the death penalty and has been protective of abortion rights. She has prized her independent stances on many issues as evidence that she can get things done and bring competing interests to compromise. Still to immigration advocates she is still something of a cypher. That's why they seek more leadership and action from Obama on immigration They're not sure what they would get from Napolitano. (See New York Times profile.)