He's the latest flavor of the week on the rapidly changing menu of potential Supreme Court nominees: Michael McConnell, a mild-mannered yet controversial judge from Utah who skis and hikes and last year taught a course on Plato's "Republic."
But as scrutiny of his record intensifies, it's hard for many to decide exactly what McConnell is: conservative, liberal, or a perplexing blend of both.
Capitol Hill sources and other players in the increasingly frenzied Supreme Court sweepstakes place McConnell, a judge on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, at or near the top of the short list of possible picks for the high court if a vacancy occurs later this month.
I was not familiar with Judge McConnell before reading this. He sounds like an interesting possibility, though I'd certainly disagree with him on some issues. Details here from Tony Mauro of Legal Times via Law.com.