May 11th, 2010
11:32 AM ET
9 years ago

Ad supporting Kagan hits airwaves

An early ad supporting high court nominee Elena Kagan is hitting airwaves Tuesday.


Washington (CNN) – An early television ad supporting Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is hitting the airwaves Tuesday, and President Obama plays a prominent role in the spot.

Released by the Coalition for Constitutional Values, a liberal advocacy group, the thirty-second spot is largely biographical, featuring still photos of Kagan paired with text graphics detailing major milestones and accomplishments in the high court hopeful's life.

The ad calls Kagan a nominee with an "independent mind" and a "fierce dedication to the rule of law." President Obama provides a voiceover, with a statement borrowed from his comments related to the retirement of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. When Stevens announced hs retirement, Obama listed his requirements for a new justice. While images of Kagan flash in the spot, Obama is heard saying he considers a Supreme Court nomination "among my most serious responsibilities as President."Obama goes on to say the new Justice must be someone who "[K]nows that in a democracy, powerful interests must not be allowed to drown out the voices of ordinary citizens."

Announced Monday as Obama's pick, Kagan has faced criticism over her efforts as Dean of Harvard Law School to bar military recruiters from the law school campus.The spot makes a subtle reference to the controversy, depicting Kagan meeting with Gen. David Petraeus. But the general isn't the only well known figure that appears in the ad, which also features Kagan posing with former President Bill Clinton and former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, for whom Kagan clerked.

A spokesperson for the Coalition for Constitutional Values declined to detail the ad buy but said that the spot will air on national cable.

Filed under: Elena Kagan • President Obama • Supreme Court
soundoff (34 Responses)
  1. Claudia, Houston, Tx

    FYI: You don't have to be a judge to become a Supreme Court Justice, those aren't the qualifications but having a practicing law degree is mandatory.

    May 11, 2010 01:47 pm at 1:47 pm |
  2. christi

    Seems to me that anyone making a comment such as some I have read posted here concerning her opposition to the military recruiters on campus might want to read what the actual argument was about. It is not that she is against the military. What "aproudmemberoftheunpatrioticmob" just skates over is obvious right wing talking thought in his/her statement. Just another vitroilic talking point lifted from a talk show host...pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. Guess what? Doesn't "hate" the military, didn't "ban" them from her "previous work place" Jeesh-do you even know any ACTUAL facts about her? Obviously not. You should change your moniker to just "mob."

    May 11, 2010 01:48 pm at 1:48 pm |
  3. SuperD

    How on earth could Obama nominate someone who has never sat on the bench? I don't trust Obama and he's up to something again, so the verdict is thumbs down!

    Nominate someone who has a record, I'm sick of all the neophytes in this administration. I don't care how flaming Liberal they are, just have a record, so we know what we are getting.

    I'm expecting the worst.

    May 11, 2010 01:49 pm at 1:49 pm |
  4. Mack

    How many republican representatives and/or senators had congressional experience when they were first elected? NONE of them!! So how can they argue that Elena Kagan has no experience? Isn't that the skillet calling the pot black? They really need to get over themselves. And they still don't have any experience because they delegate to their staffers to do all their work.

    I'd sure like to hear their negative arguments if President Obama nominated one of their republican counterparts to the SCOTUS or any other position. Now that would be hilarious!!!!!

    May 11, 2010 02:00 pm at 2:00 pm |
  5. Beck

    Why exactly are they running an advertisement for a Supreme Court nominee? Who are they trying to persuade? What a waste of time and money.

    May 11, 2010 02:03 pm at 2:03 pm |
  6. Ben

    Yet another Liberal with no experiance. Haven't we learned our lesson yet?

    May 11, 2010 02:07 pm at 2:07 pm |
  7. me

    Why do military recruiters need to be on college campuses, again?
    And what is un-American about it? How is it making America worse?

    May 11, 2010 02:16 pm at 2:16 pm |
  8. Dems ruining America!! Obama at Helm!!

    Dems will never make this work! They aren't capable of it! Look at the trash in that photo... Obama appears as if he is at the Health Department waiting for his exam.

  9. seebofubar


    Obama would never nominate Jesus, Mohammed maybe.

    May 11, 2010 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |
1 2