Dems Want Talks With Bush on Nominees (want more than courtesy calls)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 7/6/05 | Jesse J. Holland - AP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Democrats say the courtesy calls they've received from President Bush and his top aide, while appreciated, fall far short of the advice and consent consultations they expect before Bush announces a Supreme Court nominee.

Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois got a call Wednesday from White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, who is with Bush in Europe for the Group of Eight summit.

Card has also called Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Charles Schumer of New York and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, but no names of possible nominees were mentioned, according to their aides.

The Democrats said they want to know more — specifically whom the president is considering — before Bush sends his first Supreme Court nomination to the Republican-controlled Senate for confirmation.

"To be meaningful, consultation should include who the president is really considering so we can give responsive and useful advice," Kennedy said.

Bush and White House aides have been calling senators since Friday, when Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced she would retire once her successor is confirmed.

Among the first to get a call from Bush directly was Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee that will hold hearings on the nomination.

After voting as a bloc to stop several of President Bush's appeals court choices, Democrats have been demanding for weeks that President Bush consult with them before naming a Supreme Court nominee.

An agreement in May struck by the "Gang of 14" — seven Democrats and seven Republicans — includes a pledge not to filibuster judicial nominees except in extraordinary circumstances. At the same time, they agreed to oppose attempts by GOP leaders to change filibuster procedures that Democrats have used to block nominees.

Nelson played a pivotal role in bringing those 14 senators together, while Durbin, Kennedy and Schumer all sit on the Judiciary Committee. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), another Judiciary Committee Democrat, also got a call from the White House, but her spokesman would not say who called.

Nelson told Card that Bush's "No. 1 goal should be getting a good jurist who won't be an activist judge" and that they would talk more once the president makes it back to Washington, said David DiMartino, the senator's spokesman.

Bush has said he would consult with senators on both sides, but Republicans say the White House will not be able to do enough to satisfy Democrats and liberal groups.

"For some senators and outside groups, no amount of consultation will ever be sufficient," said Texas Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), a Judiciary Committee Republican.

Leahy and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., are expected to go to the White House on Monday along with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., to talk more with Bush about the upcoming vacancy.

[Fudd Fan]

GWB could announce his nominee on the anniversary of Chappaquiddick (July 18).

[Seadog Bytes]