Posted on 10/28/2005 2:26:11 PM PDT by Checkers
The encouraging news about the new short list indicates that the president is willing to run the opinions gauntlet, a preview of which we received in the attention paid my "hapless toad" case during the Roberts' hearings. Chief Justice Roberts only had a couple of years worth of opinions, though, so the distortion level we saw was significantly less than what we witnessed in September. I have long thought that this was the single biggest obstacle to a set of candidates moving to the top. Opinions are often difficult to explain to laymen, easily distorted by opponents, and mangled --intentionally or otherwise-- by media.
Both Judges Alito and Luttig (and others) have a large set of drawers full of opinions they issued, and these will all be on the table if either man is nominated. The advantage of a McConnell over a Luttig was simply skipping this parsing, but the advantage of Luttig over all others really is a sort of jovial toughness combined with deep familiarity with D.C. thrust and parry.
There is also the factor of age --51-- which would promote Judge Luttig over most others, his long and close friendship with the new Chief Justice --which I think would be a significant advantage short and long term.
But it is really temperment that gives Luttig a special attraction. Both the Chief Justice and Judge Luttig are proteges of former White House Counsel Fred Fielding, whom I have never seen perplexed or perturbed, even during his time on the 9/11 Commission when things were getting dicey with his fellow commissioners. Fielding's aplomb has been absorbed by both the Chief Justice and Judge Luttig. It is a marvelous quality in a witness having to listen to Patrick Leahy, Joe Biden etc go on for hours and hours.
The fact that Luttig has been around the D.C. wars for literally decades has two other significant advanatges.
First, he knows walking in what is coming and he will not flinch. In fact, he will smile throughout. Nothing will surprise him.
Second, he has friends on the other side of the aisle --good friends, and help unlooked for could arrive early and perhaps even often in the process.
The Farragut Option. If the president introduces Judge Luttig as the nominee, there will be no doubt about getting the band back together.
Okay. I can go for this.
There is a real possibility that another vacancy will occur on the Supreme Court during Bush's second term. If Antonin Scalia decides to leave (he's 69 y/o and was passed over as Chief Justice), Luttig is the perfect choice to succeed him. But he shouldn't be nominated for this vacancy, given the political realities.
All this wild-arsed speculation is mind-numbing. I wish all these pundits and pundit wannabes would all just STFU and wait for a nomination, and then react. Pre-acting to something like this seems like peeing into the wind to me.
Luttig was my first choice, with McConnell second, and Brown third.
I was big for Luttig...but now that Hewitt likes him, I am beginning to wonder.
"Luttig was my first choice, with McConnell second, and Brown third."Second that.
Judge Karen J. Williams is my first choice.
LIVE HUGH THREAD:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/my/comments
Reality
The W.H. floated Miers the weekend before she was announced. The W.H. is likely doing the same here. Every name mentioned should be responded to, and what's more, the W.H. WANTS our reactions to stave off another situation like before.
Some of it IS Gossip, but not all of it.
I'd be happy with about a dozen or more possibilities, but right now personal preferences are down to:
Luttig
Alito
Brown
Jones
I think these women are out of running, though it could always change, so let's go for either Alito or Luttig.
Wasn't Hewitt making that case just last week that it doesn't take more than a modicum of brains to be a Supreme Court justice?
A least he isn't wasting any effort or time in mourning for the late Harriet Miers nomination.
Luttig and Alito have always been my two favorites. Pick one now for O'Connor's spot and the other if another opening occurs over the next 3 years, which I hope will happen and will be Stevens.
My favorite all along.
If Hewitt is in favor, I have to wonder - whats wrong with him?
Is he really another Scalia - or another Kennedy?
In Hugh's case, he was simply trumpeting the Party Line. He's been released from the partyline with Miers' withdrawal, so he's returning to the choices conservatives would support. That, if honest, he supported as well before it came down to breaking with the W.H. temporarily. He just wasn't willing to make that break.
It speaks nothing against Luttig in any event.
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