▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁Circ uit , ▁and ▁Judge ▁Rub en ▁Cast illo ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Northern ▁District ▁in ▁Illinois ▁were ▁also ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁list ▁of ▁nine ▁candidates . ▁ ▁Inter views ▁Ob ama ▁had ▁not ▁interview ed ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁candidates ▁before ▁May ▁ 1 8 , ▁but ▁that ▁week ▁saw ▁a ▁fl ur ry ▁of ▁activity ▁and ▁spec ulation ▁surrounding ▁possible ▁inter views ▁of ▁candidates . ▁Jenn ifer ▁Gran holm ▁attended ▁a ▁C AF E ▁standards ▁meeting ▁at ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 9 ▁and ▁spoke ▁with ▁Ob ama , ▁but ▁officials ▁would ▁not ▁comment ▁on ▁whether ▁the ▁two ▁discussed ▁a ▁potential ▁court ▁appointment . ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 0 , ▁D iane ▁Wood ▁and ▁El ena ▁K agan ▁attended ▁a ▁conference ▁on ▁jud icial ▁independence ▁at ▁Ge or get own ▁University ▁hosted ▁by ▁retired ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁Sand ra ▁Day ▁O ' Con nor . ▁Ult imately , ▁Ob ama ▁w inn owed ▁his ▁list ▁to ▁four ▁individuals , ▁all ▁of ▁them ▁women : ▁S ot om ay or , ▁Wood , ▁K agan , ▁and ▁Nap olit ano . ▁Ob ama ▁conducted ▁hour - long ▁one - on - one ▁inter views ▁with ▁the ▁four ▁final ists , ▁meeting ▁with ▁Wood ▁and ▁K agan ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 9 , ▁and ▁S ot om ay or ▁and ▁Nap olit ano ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 1 . ▁Vice ▁President ▁Joe ▁B iden ▁also