Red State scoops ’em all. Project Nothing has the round-up of reactions.
This is going to be one ugly confirmation battle.
*** Update ***
And the base is already saber-rattling, should Gonzalez be nominated.
Reader Interactions
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John Harrold
And just like that, the “Dress the Supreme Court” section of America the Book is outdated.
Marcus Wellby
Yikes, get ready for the REALLY nasty rhetoric to begin. What comes from this will make Rove and Durbin’s comments look calm and rational.
Jason
This is one of the justices I would have preferred not to be the first to retire under the Bush Administration. But now if Bush nominates a dedicated social conservative, non-ideological Americans who vote for Republicans for national security issues will begin to see the consequences of their decisions. Most Americans and probably most non-religous right Republicans don’t necessarily like abortion but don’t want to see Roe V. Wade overturned, and now that could be a real consequence because of O’Connor’s resignation.
over it
Ok. This is my opinion…and my opinion only. Please do not jump all over me if you disagree(I am delicate). ;)
I think that at this point in time in our country there is enough hatred and animosity of a partisan nature…..Bush should attempt to nominate someone that would pass with as strong of a majority as possible. Not just a nominee that only pulls one or 2(or none) of the Democratic vote.
From what I can tell(which is admittedly not very well informed)….Albert Gonzales, Lindsey Graham and a couple of other Senators would get little or no push back from the Dems.
These men are Republicans. These men(and I am sure there are moderate women as well) are conservatives. These men(or women) would do our nation a good service serving in this position.
So what if they are ‘moderate’ conservatives.
Isn’t it more important to try and have someone that the whole nation can get behind….rather than someone who will only cause more divisiveness? I think that, as a nation, we are too torn apart as it is.
It would be nice to see something unifying happen…for once.
Who cares if the Radical Right pitches a fit? Bush does not have to run for office again
So, my opinion is….nominate a Republican MODERATE conservative. One that will serve the country as a whole…and have the respect of the majority. IM(not so)HO it would be a bonus if it were a woman(but that might be wishing for too much).
Other than that. You go Sandra!! Thank you for your service to our country!
SomeCallMeTim
At least part of the Democratic Party (inc. me) will be furious if the Dems roll over and accept the nomination of Torture Memo with only nominal opposition. Which means that will almost definitely happen; the only thing more certain than death or taxes is that most members of this generation of Dem Senators will run as hard and as fast as they can in the race to be considered the Administration’s bottom bitch.
Doug
I don’t think Bush & Rove want unification. They want a howling, devoted base. They get that by having enemies. Another pitched battle against the mendacious, obstructionist liberals who want legalized abortion in every class room and who want to drive religion into dark alleys is just the thing to energize the base.
Marcus Wellby
Who cares if the Radical Right pitches a fit?
Only every Republican member of Congress. Bush may not need to run again, but he’s the only one in such a comfy position. Each party caters to a small, crazy, but vocal base. Until more Americans get out and vote, the whackjobs that make up the base of each party will keep calling the shots for the rest of us.
Besides, this fight is all about nothing. Nobody is going to change the abortion laws, its too good of a fundraising and GOTV issue for both parties as it stands now. Roe V Wade is nothing but a distraction they use to divide regular Americans while they give the country peice by peice to the corporations.
Jeff
The idea that there is ANY scenario where this won’t get ugly is absurd, and both sides will be to blame.
And before anyone tries the argument that it’s Bush making the nomination so it’ll be his fault when it gets nasty, by all means, name someone he could nominate where Ted Kennedy would say “er ah, hick up, this seems like a thoughtful and well-qualified nominee”. It’s not gonna happen.
Tim F
Thank god for the base. Gonzales is about the only Bush nominee who’d stand a chance of winning enough support to pass.
Enjoyed the courageous efforts of the GOP to save Terry Schiavo? You’ll love Bush’s SCOTUS nominees.
p.lukasiak
Is Bush really that weak that he has to completely kowtow to the radical right, and can’t nominate the kind of moderate Republican (like Danforth) that would not exacerbate the partisan divisions in Washington DC?
Bush has done everything in his power to force through radical right wingers in the courts and the UN, despite the clear misgivings of moderates in the GOP. Is he so ineffectual a leader that he can’t use the same techniques and powers to ensure that a moderate Republican could get confirmed?
This nomination will be a true test of leadership for Bush. If he kowtows to the right, we know he’s just a little coward. He needs to do the right thing, and stand up to the far right and nominate someone that will be acceptable to majority of Democrats and non-insane Republicans.
But I’m not holding my breathe….
Doug
Sen. Harry Reid suggested earlier this week 4 Republicans he thought would be good choices for the S.Ct.:
Mel Martinez, Mike DeWine, Mike Crapo, and Lindsey Graham.
Jimmy Jazz
Bush’s SCOTUS nominee will not be chosen for devotion to any wingnut social cause. They will work hard to get the mouthbreathers in full riot mode, but what this is really going to be about is the culmination of the ‘Constituon in Exile’ movement.
The destruction of federal oversight of commerce and the end of regulation. Bush’s chosen legacy.
eileen from OH
Oh, it’s gonna get ugly alright, but I don’t think the Dems are gonna be in the spotlight that much. This dogfight is gonna play out between the Religious Right and the Regular Right.
If Rehnquist retired, it woulda been different. But with O’Connor retiring, WHILE REHNQUIST IS STILL ON THE BENCH, the Religious Right is gonna freakin’ demand that it be someone who will openly pass all their litmus tests. Because as long as Rehnquist is still there, they would OWN the court.
They’ve been laying the groundwork for this for a long time – all the crap being flung at judges that don’t agree with them, etc. And they figure they are OWED big time and are the ones that put Bush in the White House, blah, blah, blah.
They’ll see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and not even a slightly squishy nominee will do. If Bush doesn’t follow through exactly as they want, I think it’s “bye, bye, Republicans, hello, Roy Moore.”
This is the definitive put up or shut up moment between the Republican Party and the RR. It’s going to force every single Republican up for re-election to go PUBLIC (vs pandering and lip service) as to which side they’re really on.
We know what the Dems will do if an extremist Religious Right candidate is nominated. The real interesting thing will be what the Republicans in Congress do, especially those up for re-election next year. They remember the Terry Schiavo debacle and how popular that whole thing was with the population.
eileen from OH
Jimmy Jazz
“Constitution”, even.
John Cole
Eileen- exactly. And there is nothing uglier than internecine warfare.
SeesThroughIt
Well, sure, he should do that, but never in a million years would he actually do. When has Bush ever even entertained the notion of compromise? He’s gonna ram through the most extreme person he can. It is guaranteed to be ugly, and no matter what the outcome, nobody will win–especially not America.
jmaier
Eileen speaks for me!
I wonder what the social conservative wing and the traditional conservative wing (perhaps down to a flight at this point) think about Emilio Garza — a likely candidate according to Erick at redstate.org rumors?
eileen from OH
Oh, it’s gonna get ugly alright, but the real ugliness ain’t gonna be the left vs the right. It’s gonna be the right vs the radical religious right.
With O’Connor gone and Rehnquist STILL ON THE BENCH, putting one of their approved candidates up means they freakin’ OWN the court. It’s a golden, once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity. Anybody seriously think they’ll accept even a slightly squishy candidate, after all they’ve done over the years (insert snork here)?
This is the definitive put up or shut up point for the RR. And if Bush doesn’t nominate someone who follows their line, to give them absolutely what they want, it’s “Bye-Bye, Republicans. Hello, Roy Moore!”
We know what the Dems will do if a far right extremist is nominated. But what will Republicans, especially those up for re-election who saw how well the Terry Schiavo thing went over, do?
If the nominee is as extreme as the Religious Right will DEMAND, what are the chances of some Rs opposing? And if they don’t, what will that do to THEIR political future?
Interesting.
eileen from OH
Sav
The left’s idea of unity and non-partisanship:
Nominate people who think like us.
Jimmy Jazz
John: others have mentioned it, but there is some serious wackiness with the commenting. I either get a “page cannot be displayed” message or an error message about posting too soon after another comment. My comments are going through, but I have to refresh. I think this explains a lot of the double posts.
Doug
I think Justice John Cole has a nice ring to it.
Jimmy Jazz
Bush’s idea of unity and non-partisanship: nominate someone that doesn’t think like anyone.
eileen from OH
Sorry about the double post. It looked like it didn’t go through.
eileen from OH
Nathan Lanier
McCain just said “Elections have consequences” and that he will support any Bush nominee.
KC
Ah man. This is the last thing I wanted to see. Was anybody here really in the mood for this?
Jimmy Jazz
Sure, the last 5 years haven’t been depressing enough. Might as well go all the way and make us a third world nation.
over it
This from Frist:
Dave Straub
over it: Don’t believe for a second that Frist won’t turn back into Radioactive Man once a nominee’s on the block.
(If Frist is Radioactive Man, is Santorum his trusty sidekick Fallout Boy? Up and at zem!!)
Marcus Wellby
If Frist is Radioactive Man, is Santorum his trusty sidekick Fallout Boy? Up and at zem
McBane: “Ach, mein eyes! Deez goggle do nuthing!”
Mithrandir
Maybe I watch too much TV. But there are two justices wanting to retire. This is looking like the episode of The West Wing – you know, the program where many Amnericans get their news? ::)
So, let’s play it out like they did? Instead of trying to find a single nominee that pleases everyone, convince Rehnquist to retire too in leiu of confirming two judges at the same time: one conservative “cromagnon” and one liberal “wack job.” There. Everybody happy. ;)
(Maybe that’s why West Wing is fiction, eh?)
Kimmitt
Nominate people who think like us.
Um, didn’t Reid mention four guys who actually really just are not liberals?
Doug
I’m already tired of the nomination process. The only upside for me is that I never really liked reading O’Connor’s opinions. They struck me as overly long, squishy, and outlined too minutely.
All the abortion talk is going to bore me, I’m afraid. In principal, I support the notion that the government has no business in a woman’s uterus. But, as a practical and selfish matter, it just doesn’t really apply to me at this point in my life.
We’ll hear a lot about “activist judges,” but as the estimable Mr. Brayton has pointed out, that combination of words has basically become meaningless.
The left will cherry-pick all of the worst bits from the nominee’s background such that I won’t really be able to trust their assessment of whether this guy (or gal) is a loon or merely a person of sound jurisprudence with some poorly turned phrases in his or her opinions. By the same token, the right would loudly proclaim that a pro-life ham sandwich was the second coming of Blackstone, Marshall, Hand, and Holmes all rolled into one if it was nominated by George Bush.
Television “news” will treat me to an endless array of “experts” determined not to provide any substantive analysis but who merely throw buzzwords at each other between Pepsi ads.
So, I’m already tired.
Sav
Um, didn’t Reid mention four guys who actually really just are not liberals?
That Reid’s a swell guy, doing the advising for the president and all.
Actually, my comment was more in response to the comments here than to the left at large although I doubt there’s much of a difference between the two.
Kimmitt
That Reid’s a swell guy, doing the advising for the president and all.
Like Orrin Hatch did for Clinton on Justice Ginsberg?