Posted on 09/26/2005 7:01:37 PM PDT by kellynla
WASHINGTON -- John Roberts, hailed by supporters as "the brightest of the bright," cruised Monday toward easy confirmation as chief justice while President Bush hinted that his next pick to the Supreme Court could be a minority or a woman.
"Diversity is one of the strengths of the country," the president said.
Roberts, a 50-year-old federal appellate judge and the president's first pick for the Supreme Court, is assured of getting an overwhelming confirmation vote by the Senate later this week, making him the nation's 17th chief justice.
Roberts is "the brightest of the bright," declared Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., as the Senate began several days of debate.
Two-thirds of the 100 senators _ both Republicans and Democrats _ already had promised to support Roberts as the successor to the late William H. Rehnquist before the debate began. Roberts' would-be colleagues support him, too, said Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa.
"The word is that the justices very much applaud his nomination to be chief justice," Specter said. "He has the potential, almost from a running start, to bring a new day and a new era to the Supreme Court."
With Roberts' confirmation guaranteed, senators and Bush started turning to the White House's upcoming selection of a replacement for retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Specter said he expects that nomination to come "shortly, if not immediately, after a decision is made by the Senate on the Roberts nomination."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
"I will pick a person who can do the job. But I am mindful that diversity is one of the strengths of the country," Bush said Monday. He is under pressure from many quarters _ including his wife _ to pick a woman or a minority for O'Connor's seat.
Widely mentioned candidates include federal appellate judges Janice Rogers Brown, Edith Brown Clement, Edith Hollan Jones, Emilio Garza, Alice Batchelder, Karen Williams, J. Michael Luttig, J. Harvie Wilkinson, Michael McConnell and Samuel Alito.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, former deputy attorney general Larry Thompson, lawyer Miguel Estrada and Maura Corrigan, a member of the Michigan Supreme Court, are also considered possibilities."
I like Mark Levin!
I know, I know...keep on dreamin' LOL
Any conservative Hispanic women out there???
The RATS are going to excoriate the character of the next nominee, and possibly filibuster them no matter who it is or how qualified they are.
Go for broke, Mr. President. Nominate a strong conservative.
I don't mind a woman or a minority as long as it's Janice Rogers Brown or someone of that quality.
Put up a really conservative woman or minority candidate and let the Democrats make fools of themselves bashing her! They soon learned their lesson when they tried to demean and demonize Condoleeza Rice. You don't hear much of that these days.
As someone suggested the other day, I wouldn't mind a Supreme Court with seven Clarence Thomases sitting on it. If they want minorities, give them minorities! But don't try to compromise, or they'll eat you alive.
"Who will swear him in as Chief Justice?"
We haven't decided.
Do you want the job? J/K
Whoever the senior is on the Supremes.
Really doesn't matter does it? As long as they don't use a Koran. LOL
"Will "Jumping Jack Roberts" dance at the occasion?"
Probably. :)
Doesn't matter what the 'Rats do.
Can you say "nuclear option?" ;)
Whenever I hear the word "diversity", I know we are about to get screwed.
5 to 1, when GW leaves office, we will have a SC that is no more constitutionalist than the one we had when he took office. And this was our last chance to at least point it in the proper direction.
Please GW, make me wrong.
Oh Yes I would!
I wonder if Mrs. Roberts or my husband would be upset with my keeping my free hand on his tush during the whole ceremony.
However I am not happy with Pubbies on this issue. I think they should be harder on the Rats regarding their votes.
If Roberts doesn't get 90 or more votes to confirm, the Pubbies should let the Rats know that no Rat liberal candidate will ever get confirmed should the Rats ever regain the Executive.
Kill fillibuster and let the Rats know that they might as well not even show up for congressional sessions, as they get nothing, NOTHING.
If the Chief Justice swears in the President (under normal circumstances), shouldn't the President swear in the Chief Justice? Turnabout is fair play.
Speaking of Chief Justices, George Will's latest column drew attention to the fact that September 24 was the 250th birthday of John Marshall. I don't think that anniversary got much attention.
I don't recall the President swearing in anybody, does he do that?
If it is one of the Supremes, I am inclined to believe it will be Sandra Day O'Connor.
Wonder if it will be O'Connor!
Well Justice Stevens is senior on the court, probably the next one to be replaced, he's 85, so I would bet on him doing the swearing in, just out of courtesy.
But unless I am mistaken, I don't think it matters.
When I look at Bush's cabinet, I don't expect we'll get screwed by "diversity".
Justice Stevens is 85? Wonder if he'll die before O'Connor is replace....Then this appointment would take his place and O'Connor would stay on even longer.
well unless Stevens kicks the bucket between now and the first of the year, I would suspect that there will be a replacement for O'Connor before Stevens...
Bonnie Garcia, in the CA State Assembly, representing my district...gotta love her. She's an absolute pain in the ass to the Dims.
Alas, I don't think she's an attorney - refreshing in and of itself!
John Paul Stevens, Ill. 1975– — Ill. 1920 — Protestant
Sandra Day O'Connor, Ariz. 1981–2005 Tex. 1930 — Episcopal
Antonin Scalia, DC 1986– — N.J. 1936 — Roman Catholic
Anthony M. Kennedy, Calif. 1988– — Calif. 1936 — Roman Catholic
David H. Souter, N.H. 1990– — Mass. 1939 — Episcopal
Clarence Thomas, DC 1991– — Ga. 1948 — Roman Catholic
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, DC 1993– — N.Y. 1933 — Jewish
Stephen G. Breyer, Mass. 1994– — Calif. 1938 — Jewish
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