Free Republic

WASHINGTON -- President Bush, close to nominating a successor to retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, has narrowed his list to a handful of candidates that outside advisers say includes federal judges and two people who have never banged a gavel — corporate attorney Larry Thompson and White House counsel Harriet Miers. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Tuesday that Bush had pledged to consult with senators about his selection and said, "I think we were essentially wrapping that process up as early as today." He declined to say if the president had interviewed any candidates and wouldn't speculate about...

Washington -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, a pro-choice Republican, strongly warned President Bush Monday against any "sharp turns" as he ponders a second Supreme Court vacancy. The prospect of that looming vacancy overshadowed the opening of Senate debate on Judge John Roberts, headed for easy confirmation to be 17th Chief Justice of the United States, replacing the late William Rehnquist, a conservative stalwart who died earlier this month. Bush is expected to name his choice for the second and far more pivotal vacancy left by retiring centrist Justice Sandra Day O'Connor as soon as the Senate votes to...

As John G. Roberts Jr. sails toward almost certain confirmation as the 17th chief justice of the United States, President Bush faces conflicting pressures about how much race and sex should factor into his deliberations for filling the second vacancy on the high court. With Bush poised to make another nomination as soon as this week, he is hearing growing demands to name a woman or minority to the vacancy created by the pending retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Republican political and legal strategists said. Laura Bush twice has said that she would like to see a woman succeed...