Posted on 07/01/2005 7:40:16 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
WASHINGTON -- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court and a key swing vote on issues such as abortion and the death penalty, said Friday she is retiring.
O'Connor, 75, said she expects to leave before the start of the court's next term in October, or whenever the Senate confirms her successor. There was no immediate word from the White House on who might be nominated to replace O'Connor.
It's been 11 years since the last opening on the court, one of the longest uninterrupted stretches in history. O'Connor's decision gives Bush his first opportunity to appoint a justice.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I think you may well be correct--that Mrs. O'Connor comes first makes this course of action more likely. Had Rheinquist been first, Bush would have received more or less of a pass and might have succeeded in appointing a real constitutional jurist.
But O'Connor is a swing vote--if Bush gets a real justice in her place, it changes the balance on the court. The Dems will fight to avoid that result.
I further think that Bush had determined to replace her with Gonzales and make the argument that Gonzales was of about the same politics. I don't think Gonzales gets confirmed either--the dems won't take him because of his position as a mouthpiece for the administration's handling of enemy prisoners; at least a few Republicans would join them because Gonzales is another liberal.
The equation may now be further disrupted if Rheinquist resigns before a substitute for O'Connor is designated. At that point, a bad series of events for the administration. About all you can hope for is that Ginsberg is off the court in the near term; hopefully followed by Stevens.
Maybe the gravity of the dispute in the Senate will get enough attention from the electorate that people will understand what is really at stake here--we are losing the Constitution as a guaranty of liberty; electing Dems is the way to assure the trend continues. Maybe affects the outcome of the next election. Does Congress simply shut the country down because they won't conduct a vote on her successor?
ROFL, when I first heard of Riggins' quote I almost split a gut.
I just hope the next justice is flippin sweet.
The Dems attempt at fundraising begins!:
https://www.kintera.org/c.mwK0JbNTJrF/b.847259/k.894F/Get_Friends_Family_Involved/siteapps/email/spreadWord.aspx?kntaw9310=CDBB75C5372C4C50A0E035DDFD18D50E&c=mwK0JbNTJrF&b=847259
I have a younger former Marine: Emilio Garza.
JANICE ROGERS BROWN
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Well I certainly agree with you. BTW, did you just hear McCain on Fox? Post filibuster agreement he is saying we can be confident the president will appoint a conservative and he expects the Dim 7 to come through.
We shall see, but do you see the value of the agreement now?
I understand Judge Garza had good conservative credentials, but there's somethin' about Robert Bork that just drives Lefties nutsier.
Hell will turn into a glacier before the Dems start keeping their word.
Ted Olsen! Ted Olsen! Ted Olsen! Ted Olsen!
Ted Olsen! Ted Olsen! Ted Olsen! Ted Olsen!
We shall see. In all of our excitement concerning Janice Rodgers Brown as a potential Supreme Court Justice let me remind you that another GOP President appointed a CA Supreme Court Justice to the SCOTUS. Some think that worked out, others are pretty skeptical.
Earl Warren, LOL...
That 'deal' is a two-edged sword junior... and it's about to swing back and catch you on the backside.
I thought Warren had been governor of CA, and delivered the delegation to Ike at the 52 convention. Was he also on the CA Supreme Court?
Nominating Gonzales would be a betrayal of the Republican base that would be remembered for DECADES. If the Republicans want to lose their majority, that would be a way to do it.
Yes, but I think Garza shares it. That "something" is that they are indifferent to the judgements of liberals in the faculty lounge.
Guess now we'll find out what 'extraordinary circumstances' means, huh?
As was said in The Godfather..."we need a wartime consigliere"
I'm with you on this. Conservative SC picks was the bottom-line reason we were asked to swallow all the liabilities that came with this President.
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