Muscatine

Based on her education and experience I will say that she is certainly qualified for the position, but to classify her as the "best available" would require that I know the biographies of every potential candidate out there available to fill the post. So in answer to your question, I will have to defer to the words of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) speaking on the confirmations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito respectively:

"Every single judicial nominee deserves to be considered on his or her own merits and not juxtaposed with their predecessors or horse-traded for ideological reasons," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)

"A qualified judicial nominee like Judge Alito deserves a respectful debate and a fair up-or down vote on the Senate floor."

I would argue that you wouldn't need to know each and every potential candidate....only one would be sufficient. 

I nominate Ned. Or Nigel.  Or Lilsmom. 

I take it that you think she's not qualified?

She may be qualified by some standards, but the three I mentioned would not claim to be "better" based on their race or gender.  She did, which leads me to believe there are much better candidates out there.