Posted on 07/06/2005 5:20:19 AM PDT by Brilliant
COPENHAGEN, Denmark - President Bush, during his stop in Denmark before heading to the G-8 summit, said Wednesday he will not select a Supreme Court nominee based on his or her views on abortion or other hot-button political issues.
He urged senators to act "in a dignified way" in what is expected to be a contentious battle over confirming his first nominee to the nation's highest court.
Bush visited this Scandinavian nation to thank Danes for sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. He also strongly defended his decisions on Iraq, climate change, imprisoned terrorism suspects and aid to Africa — all of which have made him unpopular in Europe.
"I understand that people aren't going to agree with decisions I make," Bush said as he stood alongside Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen outside a white mansion that serves as his official summer residence. "I truly believe we're laying the foundation for peace."
Bush made his fourth trip to Europe this year just days after Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement. The president said that as he reviews candidates to replace her, "I'll try to assess their character, their interests."
Bush said he would have no "litmus test" that disqualifies candidates because of their opinions on abortion and gay marriage.
"I'll pick people who, one, can do the job, and people who are honest, people who are bright and people who will strictly interpret the Constitution and not use the bench to legislate from," Bush said.
Bush spent a few hours reviewing material on more than a half dozen potential replacements for O'Connor on his flight to Denmark. He has said that he will spend a few weeks narrowing a list of candidates and then interviewing some, and his goal is to see a new justice in place by the time the court begins its new term in October.
"I will take my time," Bush said. "I will be thorough in my investigation."
Bush bristled at criticism of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a longtime friend who is often mentioned as a potential nominee for the high court. Conservatives said they aren't convinced Gonzales' beliefs on affirmative action and abortion are far enough to the right for their liking.
"I don't like it when a friend gets criticized," Bush said. "I'm loyal to my friends.
"And all the sudden this fella, who is a good public servant and a really fine person, is under fire," Bush said. "And so do I like it? No, I don't like it. At all."
Bush spent his 59th birthday here to thank Denmark for the several hundred troops the Scandinavian nation has contributed to the U.S.-led fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Outside Fredensborg Palace, where Bush had lunch with Queen Margrethe II and her husband, a group of people held small U.S. and Danish flags — and a large banner proclaiming, "Happy Birthday George." A smaller group held several protest banners urging U.S. and Danish withdrawal from Iraq and "Peace."
Fogh Rasmussen said the Danes were glad to help with both missions.
"We share the belief that freedom is universal and we share the belief that in the struggle between democracy and dictatorship you cannot stay neutral," the prime minister said.
After lunch with Queen Margrethe and about 50 other guests, Bush headed for a summit of rich nations in Scotland where discussion about the world's changing climate and aid to Africa were at the top of the agenda.
Bush said he is proud of his administration's tripling of U.S. aid to Africa, and his decision to double aid again by 2010. But his pledge still falls short of the commitment sought by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the summit host.
On climate change, Bush said warming temperatures are partly caused by manmade emissions. But he renewed his objection to the international Kyoto Protocol that mandates certain reductions.
"I think there's a better way forward," Bush said. "I would call it the post-Kyoto era, where we can work together to share technologies, to control greenhouse gases as best as possible."
This should definitely make the heads of all the single issue people explode.
Of course he has to say it. It's politics, but that won't stop people from denouncing him.
If he doesn't nominate the most conservative people he can, he's committing political suicide for the GOP. We'll lose Congress and may lose the White House.
His nominees must be pro-life, pro-gun, anti-tax, anti-emmintent domain and they must have a proven record for these stances... otherwise, the GOP will bear the brunt of the backlash.
Mike
We don't want anti-abortion judges the same way we don't want pro-abortion judges. We want Judges. Judges who've read the constitution and adhere to the limitations of judicial power.
Well said. The evangelicals have worked long and hard for this moment - the beginning of the end for the murderous abortionists.
That'll be a first.
Roe won't be overturned even if you fill the court with clones of Thomas and Scalia. The best we can really hope for is for it to be curtailed.
Well, since there is no litmus test, I hope the nominee isn't pro-slavery. I'm against that too.
Yes, but either the Constitution says abortion is a right, or it doesn't. You can't say that you're going to enforce the Constitution the way it's written, and then say that a nominee's position on abortion is irrelevant.
If a judge does that, we won't have to worry about how they'll handle an abortion case.
It's not the Senators who are letting their emotions drive this. It's the voters.
Exactly, it's just a big game. All of politics is for that matter.
The Senators have already begun the demagoguery and it will just get worse. See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1437191/posts
What he really said is, he's going to select a judge who does not have a publicly-stated position on a case that was never before him/her, and will rule with respect to the constitution and the law.
Here's hoping abortion is made illegal except in severe cases, but that's my personal wish.
I think we get angry at such situations and want to punish those who allow them to happen, but I don't see that happening. And Bush can commit political suicide, he's got no more elections to run in.
He's in legacy mode now. I see no evidence he wants a "moderate" legacy.
No candidate seriously interpreting the constitution and not legislating from the bench could be pro-roe v wade or gay marriage.
It may not factor into the nomination process, but for the 'Rats, it will be the decisive, dominant issue in the confirmation process. The 'Rats are all about abortion. In many ways, it is their reason for existing. Expect the 'Rats to dig, dig, dig into the background of any nominee, hoping to uncover just the least bit of information on where they stand on the issue.
Why the hell should single issue anti-abortion republicans continue to vote if they get screwed over again?
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