In regards to your counter questions.
I think Stevens and Ginsburg will try to wait until 2009 to retire with the hope that President Obama will name their replacements.
I agree that there is no consenus to ban abortion. However, there is strong consenus to restrict abortion with parental consent (which Mitt supports), 24 hour waiting periods, and banning tax payer funded abortions which is currently federal law. I want to know Mitt's stand on the abortion issue. You can probe a how candidate feels about the abortion by asking him/her about the Hyde Amendement, which bars federal funded abortions. If a politican supports repealing the Hyde Amendement, then it means he/she supports abortion anytime, anywhere, any reason. That attitude hurts the RATS with independents in purple and red states and especially in GOP primaries.
Keeping the 2nd Amendement alive and well contributes to homeland security.
2nd ammendment rules!
I just don't think the two SJC Justices have the physical capablity of surviving. He's almost 86 and she's got cancer, but as Rush said of poor Senator Johnson, they'll keep him on a respirator to retain the seat,