Posted on 11/08/2004 1:33:03 PM PST by Ahriman
Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the moderate Republican in line to head the Senate Judiciary Committee, pledged Sunday to move quickly on White House judicial nominees if he becomes chairman.
And White House political advisor Karl Rove said he believed that President Bush's nominees would receive prompt and fair hearings if Specter were chairman.
Still, some conservative activists complained about Specter's views on abortion, urging Senate Republicans not to confirm him.
In a news conference Wednesday, the day after the election, Specter predicted that judicial nominees who opposed abortion rights would have a difficult time getting Senate approval. His comments produced an outcry from the right.
Attempting to tamp down the controversy, Specter told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday that he would not use a nominee's views on abortion as a "litmus test."
"My record is pretty plain that, although I am pro-choice, I have supported many pro-life nominees," he said.
He cited his support for Supreme Court nominees Clarence Thomas in 1991 and Anthony M. Kennedy in 1986 and the elevation in 1986 of Justice William H. Rehnquist to the post of chief justice even though Rehnquist had voted against Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision that upheld a woman's right to choose abortion.
Specter said his comments last week referred to the fact that, despite winning four more Senate seats, the GOP cannot by itself block a Democratic filibuster on nominations. Sixty votes are needed to end a filibuster; the Republicans will have 55 seats in the next Senate.
Specter also noted that "I have supported all of President Bush's nominees in committee and on the floor."
Good one!
Specter's promises 'not proven'.
Yeah. And there is "some" sand on the beach...
I don't know where he was on Bork (the most brilliant conservative and legal mind in the 2oth cent) But I do know that the christians who delivered this election for bush want his head on a platter!!!
You typed 2oth cent. Somebody who might work at WaPo might be used to typing "Post".
Typing 2oth cent certainly gives a hint to who your employer might be. I know that after typing for almost 40 years, it is EXTREMELY HARD for me to type 2oth cent. I would type 20th Century and find that much easier.
In creating this post, as in WaPo, I had to re-type 2oth several times, almost always having to backspace because I first type 20th.
But then reporters are not very good at composing in HTML.
A better way would be 20th cent. Notice my use of HTML -- on the fly...
I am going to add WaPo to this thread for that reason...
Someone used to typing WaPo (slang for Washington Post) or Post, would find it easy to type 2oth...
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