in retrospect, he was really pretty much a nothing...no distinction...a second rate choice which is why he got thru the hearings and onto the court...the rats knew they had a man who would twist the constitution anyway required...
this is the secret about "liberalism"...it basically requires that there be no norm, no rule of law...
the TLA love this....they can argue any nonsensical opinion and find a way to make it legal/constitutional...
I think the more correct statement is: generally, most conservatives trusted George W. Bush to appoint a conservative to SCOTUS with his very first appointment.
Few people knew much about Roberts because he'd only been on a Court of Appeals for two years when nominated to SCOTUS. The Bushes knew him well because he'd been a Deputy Solicitor under Bush 41, and 41 appointed him to a C of A in 1992, but the nomination died when 41's term ended.
The Bushes had been trying to put him on the federal court since 1992, and W nominated him in 2001 at his first opportunity, and then put him on the SC at first opportunity in 2005, as CJ after Rehnquist died.
The Bushes wanted Roberts in the federal court system, for whatever reason. And do we need to discuss the peculiar nomination of Harriet Miers, which was eventually withdrawn and Alito nominated in her place?