Specter, formerly a Kagan foe, says she’ll answer more questions as Supreme Court nominee

Specter, a former foe, calls Kagan ‘forthcoming’

WASHINGTON — Democratic Senator Arlen Specter is calling Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan “very forthcoming.”

The Pennsylvanian voted against confirming Kagan to her current post as solicitor general because he said she should have answered more questions about how she’d approach cases.

But after meeting with Kagan, Specter says he thinks she’ll be willing to respond more openly in her upcoming confirmation hearings.

Specter says Kagan told him she stood by her past criticism of the Supreme Court confirmation process, and her description of it as a “charade” in which nominees stonewall questions.

Specter, a Republican when he voted against Kagan, has since switched his party affiliation and faces a tough primary next week.