Bush aide likely high court nominee

LOS ANGELES TIMES ^ | 1/31/02 | DAVID G. SAVAGE

[hchutch]

Very true. I do think there will be an offer, though. And then it will leak that Thomas "respectfully declined" the offer.

However, if my reading of the man is correct, if Bush offers him the job and can convince Justice Thomas that he was selected because he was, in the President's judgement, the best man for the job, I think Justice Thomas would accept such a nomination.

If two or three are retiring, I see Bush going with a spread. My scenario (assuming Thomas would accept a nomination as Chief Justice) has Stevens, Rhenquist, and one of the female justices (O'Connor or Ginsberg - the latter has had health problems) retiring. Thomas fleets up to Chief Justice.

Bush then makes three picks: One will be Hispanic (my pick is Emilo Garza). The other two are wide open. One person who I think would be a good selection is one of the Divison heads at DOJ - a guy by the name of Viet Dinh - Vietnamese immigrant. The other, IMO, might be female, but I wouldn't be surprised if either Ted Olson was given the nod.