Posted on 10/29/2005 5:23:51 PM PDT by Halfmanhalfamazing
WASHINGTON - Rebounding from the failed nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, President Bush is poised to select between two of the nation's leading conservative federal appeals court judges - both experienced jurists with deep backgrounds in constitutional law - for what promises to be a bruising Senate confirmation battle.
With an announcement expected Sunday or Monday, administration officials have narrowed the focus to Judges Samuel Alito of New Jersey and Michael Luttig of Virginia, sources involved in the process said. Both have sterling legal qualifications and solid conservative credentials, and both would set off an explosive fight with Senate Democrats, who are demanding a more moderate nominee to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
my guess is this is a trial baloon to get the Dems charged up about "radical" picks - then when it turns out to be a woman (a conservative jurist, but less high profile then these two names) - they will have wasted some of their ammo demonizing these two.
Can anyone tell us why Ted Olsen is not on any list? Some of us think he might be the perfect fit, especially now. Niether the right nor the left dare challenge him. Did he go over the edge after Barbara died? Does he simply not want the job?
If we're to make them go nuts, it should be over something important. I'm tired of him doing pointless things that make them upset, and then caving into them on important things because it's more "prudent". It should be the other way around.
I would love to see him on the Supreme Court--he deserves it.
I posted about him earlier in the thread--they say his age is a big factor.
They'd go nuttier if they went with one of my two favorite women judges, Edith Jones or Janice Rogers Brown. They are rather different, one a Scalia and one a Thomas but I admire them both.
A endorsement from Matthews? Is that suppose to make us feel good?
Do that and they could switch sides.
Excellent!! No better way to call "Fight's on!" than this.
After this announcement, 2/3rds of the country won't remember who Scooter Libby is.
Sorry, I jumped the gun (sic) in characterizing your position. Still, that opinion was proper, constitutionally. And as I said, it leaves the door open for state regulation of machine guns, and at the same time, provides a good opportunity to educate the public. I think you'll be surprised at what the public's willing to accept.
Luttig, on the other hand, is getting unnervingly more Souteresque the more I hear about him.
I would be happy with either one.
Alito is not like Scalia. Every legal scholar that knows him has said he isn't a movement conservative. He is very rigid in his stare decisis belief. He will not overturn any liberal precedent given to us in the last several decades.
We need a movement conservative/strict constructionist/originalist type. Alito is an incrementalist like Roberts.
The difference between Luttig and Alito is the difference between them voting with Scalia and Thomas on precedent cases or voting with the liberal bloc.
We need Luttig if we want to move the court to the right.
Bush will give in like he did with Roberts and pick Alito. The dems have said they won't block Alito. They know his philosophy. Bush will be praised but in reality it will be a capitulation to avoid a fight with a true movement conservative like Luttig.
We will learn a lot about Bush administration in the next few days. Picking Luttig would say bring it on dems. Picking Alito would be giving. I predict the talking head republicans will praise Alito after he is picked like they did Roberts but neither of them will vote with Scalia and Thomas on issues we really care about moving the court to the right.
Id pay money to see/hear Kennedy's reaction:
"Oh, this is the biggest one I ever had. You hear that Elizabeth? I'm coming to join you honey"
If this true, I am reporting for duty on Monday as well MR. PRESDIDENT! ready for battle!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. :)
Then I prefer Alito.
Saw that a second too late. The business about Ken Star(r) makes sense, too...
Then stay off the threads concerning speculation.
Has Laura and Harry Reid signed off on these choices yet?
My bet is Sykes or Williams.
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