Obama Applauds Kagan Confirmation

President Barack Obama applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday for their role in Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan’s confirmation, and commented on the historical nature of Kagan’s ascension to the bench.

“For nearly two centuries there wasn’t a single woman on our nation’s highest court,” Obama said during a brief statement delivered from Chicago’s Renaissance Hotel. “When Elena takes her seat on that bench, for the first time in our history, there will be three women.”

Kagan was confirmed by the Senate Thursday with a 63-37 vote. Once sworn in, she will be the 4th woman and 112th Justice to join the Court.

Kagan Will Be Sworn In Saturday

Elena Kagan will be sworn in Saturday as an Associate Supreme Court Justice, according to a statement from the Court.

Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath during a private ceremony in the Court’s West Conference room.

Kagan, a former Solicitor General, was confirmed Thursday by the Senate with a 63-37 vote.

Giannoulias On Obama

U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias (D) introduced President Barack Obama during a fundraiser in Chicago earlier today and made a rather bold statement.

“Let me tell you,” Giannoulias said. “[Obama] will go down in history as one of the toughest presidents we’ve ever had.”

Senate Confirms Kagan

In a 63-37 vote, the Senate has confirmed the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Five Republicans voted ‘yes.’ Kagan becomes the fourth woman to ever serve on the high court. My colleague Jay Tamboli has more here…

Military Now Prohibited From Viewing WikiLeaks

It is being reported that all branches of the military have explicitly told staff not to access WikiLeaks, the controversial website that recently released classified documents about the war in Afghanistan.

A spokesman for the Pentagon told the Washington Times Thursday that the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard have all ordered their staff to stay off the website. Additionally, the Times obtained a memo the Navy sent to employees saying, “There has been rumor that the information is no longer classified since it resides in the public domain. This is NOT true.”

- Sarah Mamula