May 10, 2010 11:29 AM by Bea Karnes, News First 5  Obama picks
Elena Kagan for Supreme Court   "Elena is widely regarded as one
of the nation's foremost legal minds," said Obama. "She's a
trail-blazing leader."  The president also praised Kagan's
temperament and her practice of "understanding before
disagreeing."  Kagan called the Supreme Court an "extraordinary
institution," one that advances "the tenets of our
Constitution." She called her nomination "the honor of a
lifetime."  Her selection, reported late Sunday by NBC News,
positions the court to have three female justices for the first
time in its history.  Kagan, 50, is known as sharp and
politically savvy and has enjoyed a blazing legal career. She
was the first female dean of Harvard Law School and the first
woman to serve as the top Supreme Court lawyer for any
administration.  Kagan would be the youngest justice on the
court, which would give her the opportunity to extend Obama's
legacy for a generation. She would also bring some fresh blood
to the