Politics | Elena Kagan What Senators Should Ask Elena Kagan Confirmation hearings must focus on big picture By Marie Morris Posted Jun 27, 2010 2:39 PM CDT Copied Solicitor general Elena Kagan walks to a Capitol Hill meeting related to her nomination to the Supreme Court, May 13, 2010, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) The process Elena Kagan once derided as a "vapid and hollow charade" gets under way tomorrow when the solicitor general appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee as President Obama's second Supreme Court nominee. "Instead of playing cat-and-mouse with the nominee about how she would rule in future cases, senators should think big," the Los Angeles Times editorial board counsels. Specific questions to ask: Is the high court more like an umpire or an empathetic decision-maker? Do accused terrorists have the same legal rights as other alleged criminals? Where does congressional authority end and Supreme Court authority begin? What role does and should race play in American jurisprudence? How does technology affect interpretation of the First Amendment? To see the full list—Times editors are very curious—click here. Read These Next She was born at a McDonald's, so obviously this is her nickname. Two Powerball players have a lot of financial planning to do. A photo could link a body to a Lebanese cleric missing for decades. Repeated concussions left Welsh legend Alix Popham with CTE. Report an error