[At _War_With_Liberals]

"But isn't it fair to say that Bush's SC (and other federal court) picks will be FAR more to you liking than would Howard Dean's or Dick Gephardt's?"

What I am saying is that there is a ZERO chance of an activist SD judge stepping down and letting Bush appoint a moderate. By def, an activist judge will be carried out in a box before they allow that to happen.

On the other hand, if Dean is president, they WILL step down and it will be a disaster. Since Bush's reelection is all but guaranteed, it does not matter.

Bottom line: Bush II will not get the chance to appoint a SC judge unless one drops dead. And the odds are MINISCULE.

[!1776!]

Bottom line: Bush II will not get the chance to appoint a SC judge unless one drops dead. And the odds are MINISCULE.

Yeah, 70 - 80 years is mid-life. They probably got another 100,000 - 250,000 miles in 'em.

[CA Conservative]

Bottom line: Bush II will not get the chance to appoint a SC judge unless one drops dead. And the odds are MINISCULE.

I'm sorry, but this statement is ridiculous. By the 4th year of a 2nd Bush term (2008), Rehnquist would be 84, Stevens would be 88, O'Connor would be 78, Ginsberg would be 75, Scalia and Kennedy would be 72, Breyer 70, Souter 69 and Thomas 60. Currently, average life expectancy for men is 81, for women 84. Stevens, Ginsberg and O'Connor have all had health problems. Statistically, at least one or two of these justices should die in the next 4 years, and based on age and medical history, the most likely are Stevens and Ginsberg (history of cancer), followed by Rehnquist (age) and O'Conner (age and history of cancer).

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Bottom line: Bush II will not get the chance to appoint a SC judge unless one drops dead. And the odds are MINISCULE."

Ruth Bader Ginsberg has had surgery,radiation and chemo for colon cancer, John Paul Stevens at 83 has been treated for prostate surgery, Sandra Day O'Connor 73, has had breast cancer and William Rehnquist,78 has a history of some kind of painful back condition.One of the Justices was rumored to have a heart condition. How can you predict the future health of anyone ??

[pogo101]

Since Bush's reelection is all but guaranteed, it does not matter.

Now we're getting to the heart of the matter. In the 2004 in which Bush does win, sure, there's no reason not to vote your conscience.

But what if he doesn't win? I'm not nearly as confident as you are.