BUSH CONSIDERS CLARENCE THOMAS FOR CHIEF JUSTICE

Drudge Report ^ | November 6, 2004

[RWR8189]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX SUN NOV 07, 2004 19:02:37 ET XXXXX

BUSH CONSIDERS CLARENCE THOMAS FOR CHIEF JUSTICE

**Exclusive**

President Bush has launched an internal review of the pros and cons of nominating Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as the chief justice if ailing William Rehnquist retires, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

A top White House source familiar with Bush's thinking explains the review of Thomas as chief justice is one of several options currently under serious consideration. But Thomas is Bush's personal favorite to take the position, the source claims.

"It would not only be historic, to nominate a minority as chief justice, symbolizing the president's strong belief in hope and optimism, but it would be a sound judicial move.... Justice Thomas simply has an extraordinary record."

One concern is the amount of political capital Bush would have to spend in congress to make the move.

A chief justice must be separately nominated by Bush and confirmed by the Senate, even if the person is already sitting on the court.

The need to replace Rehnquist could arise by year's end, Bush aides now believe.

Officially, Bush advisers call any Supreme Court vacancy talk premature.

Developing...

[Lyford]

How can that POSSIBLY qualify as news? Of the sitting justices, obviously he is considering Scalia and Thomas. Duh. Certainly not Kennedy or O'Connor. (And it goes without saying that he's not considering Stevens or Breyer or Ginsberg or Souter.) "BUSH CONSIDERS CLARENCE THOMAS FOR CHIEF JUSTICE" is not news, or speculation or anything else. It's "newsworthiness" is on the level of "SCIENTISTS DETERMINE THAT WATER IS WET".

[Simcha7]

Shalom & Blessings!

Hi...Sartorius,

You Wrote: "I pray this is true. Judge Thomas is my personal favorite."

And I TOTALLY AGREE!

Judge Clarence Thomas would be a GREAT Chief Justice.

May GOD Bless Judge Thomas and Help President Bush to make this Good Decision for our Country.

[Ronzo]

It's a tease, but what a WONDERFUL tease!

Under Bush, our African-American brothers and sisters have been given the highest ranking posts EVER held by African-Americans: Colin Powell: SecOfState, Condi Rice: NSA.

Having Bush elect Thomas to be Chief Justice would just be the icing on the cake...

I'm a big fan of Scalia, but just for the AUDACITY of it, I'd love to see Thomas become Chief Justice...

[Maria S]

Yep! He's the best choice. Ruthie may have to wait for awhile.

[Modernman]

Shrug. The Chief Justice doesn't really have any extra power.

[pgkdan]

OK by me! Thomas has no qualms about revisiting Roe v Wade.

[Ahriman]

Scalia would be better.

[the invisib1e hand]

a second career for Anita sHill.

[Unknown Freeper]

And you thought last week was action-packed.

[FairOpinion]

I would love to see this.

Then have all the judges over 65 resign, to allow Bush to nominate new younger ones.

William H. Rehnquist born October 1, 1924 80 yrs old
John Paul Stevens born April 20, 1920 84 yrs old
Sandra Day O’Connor born March 26, 1930 74 yrs old
Antonin Scalia born March 1, 1936 68 yrs old
Anthony M. Kennedy born July 23, 1936 68 yrs old
David Hackett Souter born Sept. 17, 1939 65 yrs old
Clarence Thomas born June 23, 1948 56 yrs old
Ruth Bader Ginsburg born March 15, 1933 71 yrs old
Stephen G. Breyer born Aug. 15, 1938 66 yrs old

And think, in 4 years, they will all be 4 years older.

[prion]

Judge Thomas is my personal favorite.

Mine, too. He doesn't talk much in open court, but his written decisions are the best-reasoned in the bunch.

Unless he just has a fantasic clerk :)

[JessieHelmsJr]

Yes it has.If we can just get a good flatline on that terrorist Arafat .

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I think Scalia might not be in the best of health.

[txrangerette]

Alberto Gonzalez

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Here are a couple of pages with some good info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_United_States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States

I thought the CJ also set the agenda for which cases would be heard, or at least had some influence over which to hear, but I don't see any reference to that. Guess I was wrong about that.

[Crawdad]

Best parking spot. Right next to Associate Justice of the Month.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"The main thing the Chief Justice can do, is he gets to pick who writes the majority and minority opinions."

---

Well, he gets to pick who writes the Opinion of the Court when he is in the majority. When the Chief Justice is in the minority in a particular case, the Justice with the most seniority on the majority side gets to select who writes the Opinion of the Court.

[SnakeGuy]

I think Scalia is more of a strict constructionist than Thomas, even though I think they are both great. I wouldn't call either a textualist. I am afraid Scalia will retire if he doesn't get to be chief. That would be a shame. Although he would probably stay, if he had some besides Thomas on his side.

[Modernman]

The main thing the Chief Justice can do, is he gets to pick who writes the majority and minority opinions. That is a powerful way to influence the court. He can always pick himself to write opinions he has strong beliefs on.

It's somewhat influential. However, any Justices who aren't altogether happy with the Chief Justice's opinion can go and write their own, concurring, opinions.

A CJ therefore has to be a good politician or he'll find that his opinions are constantly being diluted by concurrences.

[1stFreedom]

WOHOOOOO!

Thomas's revenge!!!!