Giannoulias backs Obama on high court pick

Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is backing President Barack Obama's latest pick for the Supreme Court.

Giannoulias says the Senate should act swiftly to confirm Solicitor General Elena Kagan.

He says Kagan's reputation as a consensus builder would serve her well on the court, the same point Obama made when he nominated her Monday.

Giannoulias is running for Obama's old Senate seat, and he wants to know what his opponent, Republican Mark Kirk, thinks of Kagan.

Kirk is set to deliver a speech this afternoon to a Chicago civic club.

Giannoulias says it's important to know whether Kirk supports Kagan as a justice because it's a telltale sign of how he will line up with Illinois voters.