Top White House officials dismissed efforts to derail the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan as ineffectual on Friday predicting a strong performance from Kagan at her confirmation hearing next week. From the first day of this nomination it just feels as if we have an opposition in search of a rationale" David Axelrod senior adviser to President Obama said of Kagans critics. Theyve jumped from one thing to another never really sustaining the argument."
In the windup to Mondays hearing Axelrod and White House Counsel Bob Bauer touted Kagans credentials and experience even as critics increased their efforts to cast doubt on Obamas choice to replace retiring Justice
John Paul Stevens .
Also Friday congressional Republicans released a letter from Military Families United an advocacy group for military members and their families which called Kagans decision to maintain Harvard Laws policy of barring military recruiters
from access to the career services office troubling and appalling."
That letter came shortly after a conference call in which
Jack Reed D-R.I. and an Army veteran sought to paint Kagan as a friend of the military.
Kurt White who served two tours of duty in Iraq and attended Harvard Law while Kagan was dean said he will be among the witnesses testifying on her behalf during the confirmation hearing.
Dean Kagans support of the military was evident and unquestionable" said White who left active military service in 2007 with the rank of captain.
Kagans attitude toward the military has been a focal point of Republican criticisms. In a May 24 floor speech Sessions said her actions
amounted to open mistreatment of the military."
He also said the issue raised questions of whether Dean Kagan would be able to serve all Americans as a responsible impartial jurist or whether she would bring her ideological agenda to the bench and attempt to get around the Constitution and the laws of the United States to effectuate of what she thinks might be a better policy."
