President-Elect Obama is rapidly moving to get up to speed on the many issues he is facing.  It’s clear that the economy, which was by far the key issue in the election, is also front-and-center in this post-election/pre-inauguration window.  And, certainly after the Obama Administration begins governing and the 111^th Congress is seated, most of the focus and direction is certain to be on fixing the ailing economy.

At the same time, though, there is already speculation about what an Obama Administration will mean for judicial appointments.  USA Today reported what’s at stake as the President-Elect considers appointing a new Solicitor General (SG), the government’s top attorney before the Supreme Court.  And, as we know, the SG post can be a stepping stone to the Supreme Court.  Justice Thurgood Marshall was named Solicitor General by President Johnson before being named to the high court.

There are also reports that Democrats are anxious for President-Elect Obama to put what’s been called his ‘progressive stamp’ on the federal judiciary.

Yes, the economy will be at the forefront of an Obama Administration, as it should.  But, we’ll soon learn more about our new president and his judicial temperament – his judicial philosophy – something that was never really fully examined or explored during the campaign. 

There are key appointments that need to be made soon:  Solicitor General, Attorney General and other Department of Justice posts.  Then, comes nominees to the federal bench – including those much-talked about vacancies that could occur on the Supreme Court. 

Barry, one of the most popular questions being asked now is “How will President-Elect Obama govern?”  I would add to that, how does he plan to ‘reshape’ the judiciary?