It's Kagan!

What, you're surprised? You really thought there was a chance that Obama would pick one of the actual, identifiable liberals whose names had been tossed about? You really thought there was a chance that he would be willing to get into a real fight for what we are supposed to think are his principles?

You're surprised that he picked someone who, as a Clinton advisor, was a trimmer who repeatedly urged cutting back and cutting deals rather than fighting for a program or a principle? You're surprised he picked someone who is largely a cipher, being apparently more interested in giving the reactionaries the fewest points of attack than in advancing justice?

You really thought there was a chance that he would not pick the person who, of all the names mentioned, was thought to be the or at least among the least liberal/most conservative, the person who, it is predicted, will leave the Court more to the right than it is now? Most particularly, you really thought there was a chance that he would not pick the person who endorses an extremely expansive view of presidential powers?

You're surprised? Disappointed? Why? How? Hasn't it sunk in yet that this is Barack Obama? Way back in the late 1960s, I described a "Cold War liberal" - classically described as "liberal on domestic policy and conservative on foreign policy" - as someone whose belief system was "hooray for justice, beauty, truth, and Kill Commies." Substitute "terrorists" for "Commies," leave the first part as mostly words with few actions, and add a majorly ginned-up vision of his own authorities to the second half, and you have the presidency of Barack Obama.

This is what you voted for. And some of us knew it beforehand. You can be frustrated, you can be angry. You can say "lesser of two evils." But if you were paying attention, you can't say you're surprised.