Vice President Joe Biden: Strong bipartisan support in Senate will put Kagan on Supreme Court

Biden: Kagan will have strong bipartisan support

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden is predicting that Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan will win Senate confirmation with “strong bipartisan support.”

Biden describes the solicitor general as a mainstream, well-qualified jurist who is “practical,” ”committed” and “open-minded.”

The vice president also tried to deflect criticism that Kagan has no experience as a judge, pointing to William Rehnquist, who had no judicial experience when President Richard Nixon nominated him in 1972. He later became chief justice.

Biden made his comments Tuesday on CBS’ “The Early Show.”