WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Thursday interviewed federal appeals court Judge Sidney Thomas of Montana for an opening on the Supreme Court, a person familiar with the conversation told The Associated Press.

The roughly hour-long session at the White House was the first known formal interview that Obama has conducted for the upcoming vacancy on the high court. It is not clear whether Obama has interviewed other candidates in person.

Vice President Joe Biden also interviewed Thomas at the White House in a separate meeting Thursday, said the person familiar with the conversations, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss Obama's private deliberations...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a preview of he upcoming battle over a Supreme Court nomination, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee says in a new interview that he expects pro-abortion President Barack Obama to use the nomination to advance his radical agenda.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, a pro-life Alabama Republican, talked with ABC News and said Republicans expect to use the nomination as a chance to talk about the proper role of judges.

The expectation is that Republicans will not be able to stop the confirmation of Obama's nominee, who is expected to support abortion, but they will use the media attention to go after Obama for appointing radical judges who legislate from the bench in the manner the Supreme Court did in the Roe v. Wade decision that allowed 52 million abortions...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Leading pro-life organizations are awaiting the upcoming Supreme Court battle and fully expect President Barack Obama to name a pro-abortion replacement for retiring pro-abortion Justice John Paul Stevens. They say Obama, despite his protests to the contrary, issued an abortion litmus test this week.

During a meeting with Republican and Democratic leaders, Obama said he is "somebody who believes that women should have the ability to make often very difficult decisions about their bodies and the issues of reproduction."

He claimed he had no litmus test but, in the next breath, said he would appoint someone who "who is going to be interpreting our Constitution in a way that takes into account" legal abortions...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The top spokesman for President Barack Obama was stymied by the press Wednesday afternoon after Obama said in a morning meeting that he would have no abortion litmus test for the Supreme Court and then proceeded to outline how any nominee must support unlimited abortions.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was unable to defend Obama against questions from media outlets asking how Obama spoke out of both sides of his mouth.

"The President just said when asked about the issue of abortion that he wants somebody who’s interpreting our Constitution in a way that takes into account individual rights, and that includes women’s rights. Isn't it artifice to say that this is not a litmus test?" one reporter asked Gibbs.

"No," he replied...

President Obama managed to avoid a full-scale eruption over abortion politics with his first Supreme Court nominee, but he probably won't get that lucky twice.

After surging to the political forefront during the contentious health care debate, the abortion issue shows no sign of retreating in time for the Supreme Court confirmation process this summer. Republicans and pro-life groups remain furious over the compromise struck between pro-life Democrats and the White House that they say left the prospect of taxpayer-funded abortion in the health care law.

That anger is likely to spill over into the confirmation hearings, despite Mr. Obama's plea Wednesday for a "smooth, civil, thoughtful nomination process and confirmation process" like the one in 2009 for Sonia Sotomayor. Hes expected to make a nomination in the coming weeks...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama met top Senate leaders today to discuss is upcoming Supreme Court nomination and he promised he will have no abortion litmus test. However, most of the potential nominees said to be on his short list to replace pro-abortion Justice John Paul Stevens also back unlimited abortions.

Still, the New York Times indicated Obama wants a new high court justice who respects individual rights and women's rights -- code phrases for abortion.

Obama responded to a reporter's question and reiterated his own support for abortion without limits, but put forward the no litmus test pledge but immediately contradicted himself...

WASHINGTON – Moving ahead with one of his most consequential decisions, President Barack Obama has begun informal talks with potential nominees for the Supreme Court. And now he is reaching out to senators who ultimately will control the fight ahead to confirm his nominee.

Obama on Wednesday was to meet with the top Democrat and Republican in the Senate, along with leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee, as he launches a period of political protocol that comes with each high court nomination. The White House says the point is for Obama to get advice from the senators on how to proceed and even ideas of people to consider, but his goal is also to show bipartisanship, even if the debate to follow is almost sure to have a divided tone.

At the White House, Obama will gather with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Sen.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in a battle over the rights of freedom of expression and freedom of association on college campuses -- and observers note the justices appeared to be divided.

The University of California's Hastings College of the Law refused to recognize the chapter of the Christian Legal Society (CLS) because it requires all of its officers and voting members to subscribe to its basic Christian beliefs. CLS says "unrepentant participation in or advocacy of a sexually immoral lifestyle" is inconsistent with the statement of faith its voting members are required to sign.

However, Hastings says official campus groups, which get school funding, may not exclude people due to religious belief or sexual orientation. During yesterday's arguments, Kim Colby, senior counsel with the Christian Legal Society, noted that its activities are open to everyone, but it objects to "being run by non-Christians"...

Lincoln, NE (LifeNews.com) -- Lawmakers in Nebraska put their state on the pro-life map by passing a first-of-its kind piece of legislation that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy based on the notion that unborn children feel pain. The legislation will likely be headed for court, but that's exactly what pro-life groups are after.

Expected legal challenges from abortion advocates will have LB 1103 in the courts, which is where pro-life advocates hope to shape the future of abortion jurisprudence.

The bill was drafted with the idea of moving the Supreme Court further along its current path of watering down Roe v. Wade with the hopes of overturning it once a pro-life majority is present on the court...

The Supreme Court will consider Monday whether a Christian university club must follow its school's non-discrimination policy.

The Christian Legal Society chapter at the University of California Hastings College filed the lawsuit that started the case.

The university stripped the chapter of its school club status and funding when the group refused to allow club officers who did not sign its statement of beliefs...