bush's pick for sandy o'connor's replacement:
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/cas/HTML/u_s__attorney.html
She has the ivy-league credentials of Rehnquist and O'Connor (all three stanford law grads). She has identity politics going for her in spades: Asian, woman. Too much is said about bush trying to court the hispanics and that the pick will reflect that. In fact, the GOP should start getting asians on board more as they are disproportionately represented in the professions. Every year there are tens of young asians clerking for judges (way more than latinos).For instance: this guy.
http://www.law.berkeley.edu/faculty/profiles/facultyProfile.php?facID=235
Then look at her resume: went after cosa nostra (tough on crime), went after metabolife nutritionals (a move favored by big pharma--one of the GOP's biggest donors, by the way), and recently: freeing a mexican who smuggled immigrants into u.s. Yeah, neither her nor bush will really do anything about the border in our lifetime.
Besides, this business of only looking at candidates from the pool of federal appeals judges is overemphasized. There would be a little more diverse experience on SCOTUS if a prosecutor such as Lam were nominated. They already have an advocate in Ginsburg. Kind of balances things out, doesn't it? Without having to lurch to the right and waste time on a confirmation fight. If bush wanted to take the court strongly to the right he would've elevated Scalia, but he DIDN'T.
You'll remember that bush was in San Diego the day after Katrina hit. He was there to interview this lady.
the cw is wrong.
interesting. I will remember your prediction here - first I heard this name I think - (Carol Lam). I am afraid your are right about immigration. It seems like lip service during elections now, as is fiscal responsibility.
Both of the individuals you mentioned do have the kind of credentials, and are conservatives, that we need. The credentials are necessary both for the quality of the court over time and for getting them confirmed. The conservativism is just damn necessary for the country.
BTW, I share your concerns over the border.