Next president can reshape high court

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- The next U.S. president will have a nearly unprecedented opportunity to reshape the United States Supreme Court, analysts say.

With the possible retirements of three high court justices in the next four years, Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Barack Obama, especially, would be in a position to name liberals to the bench because he would be supported by a Democratic Party-controlled U.S. Congress, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Walter Dellinger, a prolific Supreme Court practitioner and former acting U.S. Solicitor General, told the Post it was likely that Justices John Paul Stevens, 88, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75, and David Souter, 69, would step down in the next four years if Obama were elected.

"President Obama is going to be able, I think, to name whomever he wishes to the court and have that person confirmed," he said.

But other observers said it's unclear if replacing the three retiring liberals with other liberals would alter the overall dynamics of the court, which is roughly balanced with four consistent conservatives, four liberals and, in the middle, Justice Anthony Kennedy. Though it might infuse the court's liberal wing with new energy, it may not change its current directions, they told the Post.