Thursday :: July 21, 2005And here is another snippet ...
Sandra Day O'Connor Comments on John Roberts
But retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor quickly weighed in on the president's nomination for her replacement, calling Judge Roberts "good in every way, except he's not a woman." Justice O'Connor made the comments in an interview on Tuesday after a fly-fishing trip with the outdoor editor of The Spokane Spokesman-Review, where she was also quoted as saying that she was almost sure Mr. Bush would not appoint a woman to replace William H. Rehnquist because she did not think he would want a woman as chief justice.The article also has details about the interview process Bush went through. 4th Circuit Judge Harvie Wilkenson said he wasn't asked his opinion about Roe v. Wade or any other issue:"So that almost assures that there won't be a woman appointed to the court at this time," Justice O'Connor said.
Judge Wilkinson said he was not asked about his views on issues like abortion or even a particular legal case in his interview with Mr. Bush as well as in interviews with others on the White House staff; he would not say if he had talked to Vice President Dick Cheney. "I wasn't crowded in any way," Judge Wilkinson said. "There was no litmus test applied." Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, said in a briefing on Wednesday that neither Mr. Bush nor White House staff members asked any of the finalists about their positions on issues.The White House isn't saying who else was interviewed by the President, but sources say at least one woman was in the mix. Speculation is that Edith Jones and Edith Clement were interviewed.
The editorial also makes the common error of characterizing the Supreme Court as the "ultimate arbiter of justice." In some cases it is, but in many more cases it is not. In the United States, the ultimate arbiter of justice is generally supposed to be the people, acting through our representatives who make the laws. There are plenty of very qualified women who seem to understand this: e.g. Judges Jones, Owen, Brown, Corrigan, Batchelder, and Williams. But I guess they have too much judicial experience.BTW, the breadth (number of possibilities, issues, etc) of analysis at confirmthem (link above) is a cut above the banter here at FR. We're "in the trenches," those guys are the elitists ;-)
I found O'Connor's remarks "interesting." Thanks.
Do you have any informatation about Judges Jones, Corrigan, Batchelder, and Williams?
It occurred to me that by appointing what would appear to be "reasonable" choices by the standards of a Democrat that Bush may entice one of the older liberal Justices who is weary to go ahead and retire rather than dying with their boots on without enjoying retirement while waiting for a Democrat President.
I don't think this was a motive, but it may have this effect.
Here's a few snippets on some female judges from your link. Got to go for now.
Callahan is liked by Leahy and Feinstein.
Clement's current chances seem to be somewhat diminished because the Bush administration believes her to be guilty of excessive self-promotion.
Jones ruled on an abortion case, but ruled on the technicality of mootness, that the statute had been repealed and therefore no longer presented a burden to the plaintive.
Corrigan on the Michigan Supreme Court is liked by the WSJ.
Written about Williams:
“It would be a kick in the butt for a lot of women,” Ocheltree said. “When I heard she could be nominated, I was outraged.”
Court watchers say Williams, 54, has a chance to be nominated, but must rise above a reputation in some legal circles for a conservatism that lacks compassion, particularly toward women and blacks.
The NAACP, for instance, after a preliminary review, called her record “troubling.”