Here’s an interesting piece from the AP: Frist, Reid Talk Potential Court Nominees, wherein we find that Frist and Reid have been discussing potential nominees for the Court. Good–while I have no illusions about the fact that there will be a fight over any vacancy, I also think that there is no reason why the two side oughtn’t talk about whom they would or would not support and why before the fight begins.

Democracy is, after all, about compromise. Not that there aren’t legitimate issue to fight over, but it would be nice to have the process treated more like a reasoned debate and less like a college football game.

Yes, I can dream, can’t I?

At any rate, I found the following rather interesting, not that I think it likely that a nominee will come from the Senate:

Reid later offered four names of people he said would be good for the court: GOP Sens. Mel Martinez of Florida, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Mike Crapo of Idaho and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. They “are people who serve in the Senate now who are Republicans who I think would be outstanding Supreme Court members,” Reid said.

Reid also said that in a conversation with the justices last week, they said that “they thought what would be a good idea is to start calling people from outside the judicial system.”

“I think that’s something that we should listen to. And I’ve conveyed this to anyone that will listen,” Reid said.

Fourteen senators have served on the Supreme Court. The revolving door has turned the other way only once: David Davis resigned from the court in 1877 to represent Illinois in the Senate as an independent.