THE QUESTION
What qualifies a leader?
In appointing a new Supreme Court Justice to replace John Paul Stevens, President Obama was seeking someone who could provide intellectual and personal leadership of the liberal block. His gamble in nominating Elena Kagan is bringing in someone from outside the 'priesthood' of appeals-court judges. What are the advantages and disadvantages of selecting a leader with non-traditional qualifications?
Posted by Steve Pearlstein and Raju Narisetti on May 10, 2010 11:48 AM
FROM THE PANEL
Baron von Steuben's example
At Valley Forge, Baron Von Steuben quickly adjusted the Prussian training methods to meet the realities of non-professional force of colonial troops
Posted by Col. Charles D. Allen, on May 14, 2010 5:43 AM
Not one of the 'old boys'
In 1960 when Elena Kagan was born, five of nine Supreme Court justices had no previous experience on the bench.
Posted by Amy M. Wilkinson, on May 12, 2010 11:39 AM
No time for a safe bet
Coming up the ranks traditionally may be safe. But we are not living in a safe world where safe still works.
Posted by Columbia University students, on May 12, 2010 11:29 AM
Infusing new blood
In nominating appellate court-outsider Elena Kagan, President Obama is sending the message that having good judgment -- rather than having actually served as a judge -- is the key quality for a justice.
Posted by Robert Goodwin, on May 11, 2010 4:55 PM
Entrepreneurship and sweat
There is no longer a set résumé for the modern military officer. The proper tonic simply seems to be a mixture of entrepreneurship and sweat. Same goes for our Supreme Court justices.
Posted by West Point Cadets, on May 11, 2010 4:31 PM
Caring for society
A justice has to care about the law, but I think a justice also must care about society. Ms. Kagan's background in academia speaks to this requirement.
Posted by Yash Gupta, on May 11, 2010 2:34 PM
In praise of legal diversity
The idea that Justices "follow the law" and "don't make law" is silly. Yet this is the catechism that recent nominees have been forced to recite before the judiciary committee.
Posted by Benjamin W. Heineman, Jr., on May 11, 2010 12:12 PM
She can fill O'Connor's shoes
Being a Supreme Court Justice is a life-long calling. Elena Kagan has the experience, the "moxie," the devotion to pubic service, and intellectual fire power to follow in Sandra Day O'Connor's footsteps.
Posted by Juana Bordas, on May 11, 2010 5:56 AM
Want change? A woman can bring it
We go to outsiders when we want change, and when the change we want is for more of us to be insiders, we go to women.
Posted by Marie Wilson, on May 11, 2010 5:44 AM
Sufficient intellectual gifts
Every Justice does not have to have the same background.
Posted by Marshall Goldsmith, on May 11, 2010 5:00 AM
The qualification of integrity
Numerous leaders have brought in new ideas, but failed in their inability to stay true to a core set of values or principles.
Posted by Coro Fellows, on May 11, 2010 2:40 AM
The diversity we need
The advantages of selecting a leader with non-traditional qualifications are the fresh perspectives they bring to familiar problems.
Posted by Beth A. Brooke, on May 10, 2010 3:13 PM
Alan Mulally's example
Alan Mulally, who became CEO of Ford Motor Company after a career at Boeing, has engineered the company's turnaround. A savvy leader will be a quick study.
Posted by John Baldoni, on May 10, 2010 3:00 PM
A poor choice
Kagan's nomination reinforces a group already overwhelmingly composed of those from a single academic background that has given them not the slightest inkling of how the vast majority of Americans think and live.
Posted by Slade Gorton, on May 10, 2010 2:56 PM
Power of the outsider
Today, what truly qualifies a leader is the capacity to bring fresh eyes, a fresh voice, and a fresh point of view to his or her "organization" along with the smarts and expertise to be an unquestioned master of the organization's work.
Posted by William C. Taylor, on May 10, 2010 1:25 PM
A breath of fresh air
Given the obvious frustration that most Americans have with politics-as-usual, any breath of fresh air, especially one as intellectually qualified as Elena Kagan, is a welcome change.
Posted by Bill Shore, on May 10, 2010 1:19 PM
More than just a liberal
I doubt that President Obama nominated her because she is a liberal; there are many judges far more liberal than Kagan.
Posted by Bill George, on May 10, 2010 1:13 PM
Where does she stand?
There is however a substantial downside to having a nominee who has been neither a judge nor an elected official: a lack of familiarity with the nominee's views on some very important matters, including the limits of presidential power.
Posted by Mickey Edwards, on May 10, 2010 1:08 PM
She's got the skills
The fact that she was nominated to be a judge a decade ago indicates that even at that time, before she had been a successful law school dean, she was already considered to have the requisite skills.
Posted by Howard Gardner, on May 10, 2010 1:01 PM
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carraway: I once served on a law school faculty. (At one of the 17 law schools that routinely count themselves among the "top ten.") At the first fa...
calidem1: Two words: Earl Warren. ...
JenAZ: Understanding agressively intelligent and capable women, it appears that Ms. Kagan has the requisite intellectual heft required to do the jo...
