Posted on 09/30/2005 11:57:49 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - President Bush, closing in on another nomination of a new Supreme Court justice, has completed his consultations with the Senate about who should fill the seat of retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, a White House spokesman said Friday.
Bush was expected to announce his choice in the next few days. White House press secretary Scott McClellan ruled out an announcement Friday but otherwise indicated the nomination could come anytime.
The president, leaving the White House Friday afternoon for a weekend at Camp David, offered reporters only a slight grin and a shrug when asked if he had made a decision. He was returning to the White House Sunday to attend the Red Mass, a service for those in the legal profession.
On Monday, Bush will go to the Supreme Court for the investiture of John Roberts as chief justice. Roberts was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in at the White House on Thursday to succeed the late William H. Rehnquist.
McClellan said Bush and White House officials have discussed the next nomination with more than 80 of the 100 members of the Senate. He called the level of consultation unprecedented. He dismissed predictions that the next nomination would trigger a bruising confirmation fight.
"There was a lot of talk about that before," when Roberts was nominated, McClellan said. "It did not happen."
Advocacy groups on the right are expecting Bush to name a solid conservative. Liberal groups are making a late push for a moderate.
Senate Democrats say if the president submits the name of any previous judicial nominee whom they have filibustered — including federal appellate judges Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown, William Pryor and Hispanic lawyer Miguel Estrada — they will fight to the bitter end.
Bush did not offer any hints during the swearing-in ceremony for Roberts.
Roberts said the Senate's bipartisan vote for him was "confirmation of what is for me a bedrock principle — that judging is different from politics."
All of the Senate's 55 Republicans, half of the 44 Democrats and independent James Jeffords of Vermont supported him.
Roberts' confirmation came ahead of the court's new term, which begins Monday.
As for Bush's list of prospects, "it's not that long," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.
Legal activists in contact with the White House suggest the list has been narrowed to about five or six candidates — appeals court judges and perhaps some who have never sat on the bench.
Conservatives hope Bush's nominee will shift the court to the right.
Replacing Rehnquist with Roberts is expected to keep the court's current balance. Installing a strong conservative to succeed the more moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor could tilt the court to the right.
"The stakes are particularly high with the replacement for O'Connor, a mainstream conservative who often provided the decisive vote to uphold many rights and protections," said Ralph Neas, president of the liberal People for the American Way.
The group urged the president on Thursday to find a consensus nominee and suggested four federal appellate judges: Ann Williams, Sonia Sotomayor, Jose Cabranes and Edward Prado.
"There are a number of distinguished judges — first appointed to the federal bench by Republican presidents — who would, like Sandra Day O'Connor, likely receive overwhelming bipartisan support to replace her," Neas said.
On the other side of the political spectrum, the Judicial Confirmation Network notes that Bush has a record of nominating individuals with conservative judicial philosophies for the appeals court. Also, despite opposition from Senate Democrats, many of Bush's conservative nominees eventually were confirmed.
"I'm hoping and expecting the president will stay on track as he has been in the past five years because it's succeeding now better than it ever has before," said Wendy Long, counsel for the group, which is backing Bush's picks. "Why in heaven's name would you reverse course?"
Mentioned most frequently in recent days are appeals court judges Owen, Karen Williams and Alice Batchelder; Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan; White House counsel Harriet Miers; Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; and PepsiCo lawyer Larry Thompson, who was the government's highest ranking black law enforcement official when he was deputy attorney general during Bush's first term.
Others mentioned less frequently include appeals court judges J. Michael Luttig, Edith Jones, Samuel Alito, Michael McConnell and Consuelo Callahan.
Callahan, like Gonzales, is Hispanic. There has never been a Hispanic Supreme Court justice.
I wanna know today.
Bush should put the three slips of paper in a coffee can. One slip has Janice Rogers Brown on it. The next slip has Alex Kozinski. The final slip has Ted Olson.
Invite Harry Reid to pull a slip of paper out of the coffee can.
That's the kind of consultation I approve of.
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Place your bets here... or better yet,, make a generous contribution to FR now with the soon to activated FReepathon and feeeel good! :-)
soon to be
BRING IT ON!!!!
:-D
Dear Mr. President:
Senate Democrats are NOT in charge.
Regards,
GianniV
I hope he throws Janice Rogers Brown into the Senate.
It would be a huge success if he does.
1) They would try to beat her up.
2) She would survive.
3) It would make the lynching of Clarence Thomas look like a picnic..but remember, Clarence is a JUSTICE.
4) It would tear even more of the minority and women voters away from the Democratic party.
Works for me!
Do we have any body language experts . . . what could this mean?!?!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left! Give no Quarter!!
Consuelo Callahan? Irish Latino? Wouldn't want to get that judge's dander up!............
At least they didn't say "smirk"........
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
Pick Janice Rogers Brown, a true constitutionalist, and let's go to war with the Left!
LOL, I love it. I bet he announces it over the weekend when the news media is "off".
"offered reporters only a slight grin and a shrug when asked if he had made a decision.
Do we have any body language experts . . . what could this mean?!?!"
It means yes and I'll announce it when I am good and ready.
(putting on my best impersonation of a body language expert)
I have to disagree with you. My idea of consultation is to write Janice Rogers Brown on each of three slips of paper, place them in a hat, and have anyone reach in and take one out.
I agree, but will Pres. McCain approve? After all he's the one running the show in the senate.
I had heard earlier in the week the name "Raoul Cantero" being thrown around. He is a conservative Cuban-American appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Jeb. He is only 45.
His name isn't on any popular lists anymore but he sure did sound good.
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