[CalRepublican]

Where did I say that a fine jurist alone DID qualify someone?

My point is that if everything I hear is correct Bush picked her because he trusts her (meaningless to me in that he also trusts Norm Minetta) and she was a practicing attorney (and there are probably a couple hundred in the nation who have equeal to her reputation in that regard.

[dirtboy]

Where did I say that a fine jurist alone DID qualify someone?

I'm showing that such a criteria is relatively immaterial. It's far more important to see what a nominee believes.

[Miss Marple]

Well, you know what? He had the right to pick Bozo the Clown as a justice, and the only thing you could do would be to call your senators.

I fail to see why everyone thinks that Bush should have picked a scholar (like Kennedy) that he didn't know, rather than an accomplished attorney that he did know.

It is absolutely ludicrous...skipsomeone you are certain will do a good job and go for someone who has good credentials on paper but is unknown as to their character.

Sure...that's what I would do. When hiring a babysitter, I always ignored my best friend and hired an unknown college student because she had an elementary ed major.