Posted on 07/03/2005 3:55:03 PM PDT by CHARLITE
A group of the most influential liberal court lobbyists gathered in a high-ceilinged room across the hall from the Senate chamber, within hours of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement announcement Friday.
With grave expressions on their faces, the activists stood somberly behind a lectern and one-by-one delivered impassioned pleas that Justice O'Connor be replaced with a jurist who will protect their particular interests.
"This is a watershed moment," said Ralph G. Neas, president of People for the American Way, noting that this fight will be even more momentous than the one for which they have been preparing for years, the successor to the chief justice.
Most active court watchers were expecting to see the resignation of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, an unwavering conservative on the court. With the surprise announcement from Justice O'Connor, often a swing vote on the court, liberal activists such as Mr. Neas rushed from playing offense on replacing a conservative to having to defend a vital vote.
"Over the last 10 years, we have not had a Rehnquist Court; we've had an O'Connor Court," he said, arguing that replacing her with a reliable conservative would be a "constitutional catastrophe."
Less vocal last week -- but every bit as powerful and involved in the judicial-selection process -- were conservative activists, some of whom chuckled with delight over their turn of good fortune.
"The game hasn't changed, but the post-game celebration will be much bigger," said Manuel Miranda, chairman of the conservative Third Branch Conference. "Drinks will be on me."
(Excerpt) Read more at insider.washingtontimes.com ...
Bunchadonkeybutts
Hope we can get a rock-ribbed constructionist conservative in there. It'll be fun to watch the lib apoplexy.
Bush hasn't even announced his nominee, and the libs are already whining, crying, and threatening to filibuster. I'm telling you people, no matter who Bush nominates the libs will say he's an extremist right-wing fanatic, they will claim that he wants to take away all America's freedom, and they will try to filibuster.
The Democrats are angry because they have no control over this country for the first time ever. They think they can push Bush and the Republicans in congress around to get a "compromise" nominee. The seven dunces helped the libs with that earlier, but now the stakes are higher and these morons need to hold the line.
Bush will nominate whoever he wants to without a single through or regard to what the miserable whining American left thinks. It's the job of the Republicans in the senate to confirm that nominee by any means necessary. That includes the constitutional/nuclear option.
... and they were for GORE too!
All those folks in one place. What we need is a lightning bolt from heaven.
No, I'm not encouraging anyone to do God's job. But what lawyers and insurance companies refer to as an Act of God wouldn't be out of place here.
If President Bush were to nominate the Good Lord, the libs will find something wrong with Him.
If President Bush were to nominate the Good Lord, the libs will find something wrong with Him.
Too extreme, doesn't support Roe v Wade, etc.
Outside of Hanoi John Kerry being a complete moron that I could have never cast my ballot for. ONE of the biggest reasons I voted for Bush was to trust he was going to do the right thing when it came to this point of appointing new supreme court justices.
Although, for the most part, I am quite happy with our man W in the white house. He's not been perfect, but we don't live in a perfect world. I sure hope he doesn't let us down here and now given the task at hand. That also goes for all the other repubs we've put in office too.
***Note to all republicans now in an elected office. Stiffen those spines God gave you......NOW***
Harry Reid was jogging down the street and sees these kittens in a pet store window. He asks the owner, "What kind of kittens are these?"
The owner replied "They're democrats."
The next week Reid is jogging down the street with Howard Dean and Harry sees the kittens and tells Howie, "You gotta' see this!"
Harry walks up to the store owner and asks, "What kind of kittens are these?"
"Republicans" the store owner replies.
"But last week you said they were democrats! Whats the difference between them then and now?" Harry proclaims.
"They opened their eyes." The store owner responds.
Too old.
Probably for many of the same reasons they fear a conservsative nominee.
Exactly.
Why does this need to be the Battle of the Century?
Bush nominates....reasonable period of debate.....cloture vote.....nuclear option if needed........55 votes for confirmation.
Any questions?
I hope you are right. I worry about the Repubs caving. They don't seem to have been too strong up to this point. The dims seem to run over them pretty good.
Robert Bork, Slouching toward Gomorrah, p166.
As I was just saying on another thread---the Dems are trying to refine the practice of stalling confirmation, with the ultimate objective of preventing GWB from making ANY appointments to the Court. If they can run out the clock in 3 and a half years, that's what they'll do.
Whomever the President announces as his first selection, the headlines are sure to call it a "major blunder," and it'll go from there to a protracted battle. Poor Justice O'Connor will have to stay on, as she stated she would until her successor is confirmed. Big bad W will be blamed for preventing her from caring for her ailing husband. The Chief Justice will retire in the meantime and the Mud Sling Media will call it a national crisis brought about by the stubborn, divisive George W. Bush.
Oh, and Jimmy Carter will put in his two cents before it's over, and so will the Toon. And those members of the super-elite True Presidents Club, John Eff Kerry and Al Gore.
Demlibs are about to get there butts kicked again.
Given the fact that we have both The Senate & House, not to mention The White House, they seem to be doing just that.
And, quite effectively at that.
Absolutely, but where is the professionalism in our party leaders, to "grow some teeth" (as I said on another thread), pull out all the stops, call for the constitutional option and get these nominees passed? Where are our leaders? What happened to their courage and sense of purpose?..........It is a sheer necessity now!
As you or someone else said on the other thread, if we allow this stalling mechanism to succeed, and if the country is SO STUPID as to elect the Hill-duh-Monster in 2008, then we can REALLY kiss the Constitution good-bye, because she'll simply pack the court with up to 5 new liberal judges and we'll be sunk. It is that serious!
Char :)
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