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This is the Endley

I have to limit this to a few quick thoughts, but here they are:

a) Edley is the kind of administrator who gets to the nitty gritty, plans the details, and then executes. Current Boalties have not had the pleasure of seeing the law school before the DE era (and for females, this is a very good thing). DE doesn't have patience for slow moving gradual change. As a prime example, he moved at light speed (by UC standards) to gain approval for the Boalt-Haas joint building. He also moved at light speed to change the culture among Boalt alumni regarding giving.

b) Edley has been a core member of the Obama campaign since the very inception (and I'd wager even before). When you invest that much time and effort into such a fierce competition, you don't just walk away as the victor. Ever.

c) Combining A and B, it's increasingly clear that DE will have some role in an Obama Administration and that he does not have the patience to be on the judiciary. Don't get me wrong, he'd make a great, if not excellent, jurist. But he doesn't have the patience to wait for cases with standing to come before him. Whether he'll be the White House counsel or an advisor of some sort, I don't know. I would also peg him to be the AAG for the Civil Rights Division of DOJ.

d) If he goes to the White House, nothing contradicts any of his public statements. See, e.g., the e-mail to the Chron linked to by Sara in the previous thread. He is not "seeking" to go back to Washington. But he will be asked to go and he will not turn down such an opportunity. I also cannot emphasize how much the delay of the Boalt-Haas building curtailed his ambitions. Nearly all the plans for Boalt's expansion and growth as a powerhouse revolved around the new building. Now they are all dashed for the foreseeable future.

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e) Unrelatedly, once again, others have beaten me to the punch in thinking that Marty Lederman is the ideal candidate to head the OLC. Marty's point by point criticisms of the legal arguments contained in various OLC memoranda, including the torture memos, make him particularly suitable following the current administration.

f) Foreigners flying American flags. Reminds me of the outpouring of goodwill following 9/11. Whatever happened to that?

g) Oh and my idea for Prop 8R (and in line with the comments of Laura in another thread) is the following language: "Marriages between any two individuals are recognized and valid in California. Nothing in this constitution shall be construed to require any religion to marry anyone contrary to its practices." The wording is clumsy, but that can be polished. Point is, clarify that gays can marry, and churches/temples/mosques/etc. don't have to marry anyone who does not meet their religion's standards. That would peel off enough votes, imho.

Full post as published by Nuts & Boalts on November 06, 2008 (boomark / email).