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US President Joe Biden is making good on a campaign promise to make another historic pick in choosing Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court. During his State of the Union address, Biden also made a case for the Senate to confirm Jackson.
Biden touched on his nomination of Jackson for the Supreme Court in his State of the Union speech. The US leader praised the DC federal judge, who was also confirmed by the upper chamber to the position last year, saying that Jackson is "one of our nation's top legal minds."
"A former top litigator in private practice. A former federal public defender. And from a family of public school educators and police officers. A consensus builder. Since she's been nominated, she's received a broad range of support – including the Fraternal Order of Police to former judges appointed by Democrats and Republicans," said Biden.
Should she be confirmed, Jackson will become the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court. Jackson would be succeeding Justice Stephen Breyer, who announced his retirement from the court this year after 28 years of service since getting appointed by Bill Clinton. Jackson served as a clerk to Breyer from 1999 to 2000.
Biden also thanked Breyer for his service, and the retiring justice received a bipartisan standing ovation.
Prior to mentioning the Supreme Court, Biden also called on Congress to pass voting rights legislation, making a connection with Jackson's nomination to the cause as the Supreme Court is likely expected to hear election-related cases following GOP-led legislatures' enactments of restrictive voting laws.
Biden also talked about the ongoing invasion in Ukraine by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. The US leader issued another warning to Putin, who has since been met by strong Ukrainian resistance as the US and the West are readily supplying arms and intelligence to Ukraine while imposing sanctions on Russia.
"While he may make gains on the battlefield - he will pay a continuing high price over the long run," said Biden, likely referring to reports from the Russian defense ministry that Russia has taken control of the Ukrainian region of Kherson, found north of the annexed Crimea. "He has no idea what's coming."
