THE NEXT AMERICA

Obama's Lawyer Struggles Again as Court Assails White House Immigration Case

By James Oliphant

Updated: April 25, 2012 | 5:48 p.m.
April 25, 2012 | 5:47 p.m.

Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr., speaks during a forum at the Georgetown University Law Center, Friday, March 9, 2012 in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

In terms of making its case before the Supreme Court, it’s been a spring to forget for the Obama administration.

The struggles on Wednesday of the administration’s top advocate before the Court, Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, to allay the justices’ skepticism toward the administration’s position on Arizona’s sweeping immigration law was reminiscent of his less-than-stellar time a month ago defending the health care reform act. In both instances, a majority of the Court openly assailed the White House’s case, if not showing outright hostility toward it.

(RELATED: Why Ariz.'s Immigration ID Law Could Stand)

Yes, that’s to be expected from a high court dominated by conservative jurists appointed by Republican presidents. And the fact that this dynamic appears to be on the rise suggests that a sort of legal cold war between the Supreme Court and the White House has broken out in full.

Regardless, it was clear from the get-go on Wednesday, as it was a month ago during the arguments over the health care law, that even so-called middle-ground conservative justices such as Anthony Kennedy, as well as Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, have shown little inclination to side with the administration.

(PICTURES: Who Asked What at the Court?)


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