VOA标准英语2009-Senators Urge Obama to Add to High Court Diversi

It may be weeks or even months before U.S. President Barack Obama announces his first appointment to the United States Supreme¹ Court. But, he is already getting a lot of advice from members of Congress about a possible replacement² for retiring Justice David Souter.
　
US Supreme Court Justice David Souter (July 2008 file photo)

The newest Democrat³ in the U.S. Senate - former Republican Arlen Specter - is urging the president to add to the diversity of the court.

"Women are underrepresented on the court," said Arlen Specter. "We do not have an Hispanic. African-Americans are underrepresented."

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.
　
Alan Specter

"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.

One name raised as a possible nominee⁴ 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.

Napolitano brushed off the suggestion, noting she has plenty to do right now overseeing the federal government's response to the H1N1 flu.

"I think the president has many, many excellent choices before him and that is his choice to make," said Janet Napolitano.

The replacement of Justice Souter is not likely to radically⁵ change the ideological⁶ composition of the court. Souter was considered a moderate who often sided with the more liberal justices.

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.

"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."

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.

"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."

Leahy also appeared on ABC's This Week.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

6 ideological   

a.意识形态的

参考例句：

• He always tries to link his study with his ideological problems. 他总是把学习和自己的思想问题联系起来。
• He helped me enormously with advice on how to do ideological work. 他告诉我怎样做思想工作，对我有很大帮助。