Quote (Black XistenZ @ Mar 22 2022 05:10pm)
Are we to believe that the Biden admin looked at all possible candidates, male or female, black, white, hispanic, asian or native with an open mind, then concluded that the top candidates from all demographic subgroups are equally qualified and that they could thus afford to pick a black woman for symbolic or reparative reasons? No, of course not. Biden repeatedly promised on the campaign trail that he would nominate a black woman. It's blatantly obvious that only black female candidates were even considered for this nomination. His priorities were undeniably "right skin color and gender first, best qualified person for the job second". Brown Jackson is undisputably an affirmative action nominee.
It's no biggie in this specific case since Brown Jackson is indeed extremely qualified and doesn't seem to have skeletons in her closet, so this AA pick has worked out fine. The principle behind this nomination, namely prioritizing the right demographic profile over finding the best qualification, is nonetheless questionable.
One plus she might have is that she comes from the defense side while most other judges were prosecutors. This could give her a different perspective on cases relating to criminal justice reform. (But then again, this was not the primary reason why Biden picked her!)
The thing is though, even if Biden DIDN'T promise it, most Republicans would say she's an affirmative action pick anyway. Also, the most qualified judge is NEVER chosen because age is THE most important when choosing a nominee. The most qualified person, based on experience and ideology, would likely be "too old."