Attention Now Shifts To The O'Connor Seat

by Steve

With John Roberts’ confirmation as Chief Justice set for this week, attention is shifting to Bush’s nomination for the O’Connor seat, also slated for this week, probably in an address to the nation on Thursday. Here’s a sampling of what is being said.

The Washington Post editorial board, showing that they are still clueless fools for Bush five years into his administration, cautions Bush not to pick a movement conservative. This inane guidance shows just how detached from reality the Post was when they bashed Democrats for opposing Roberts, on the principle that Democrats should go along with picks the Post deems as moderate, without taking into account the long view that Bush’s move with Roberts may have cemented the choice for a movement conservative. The Post says that former Rehnquist clerk Maureen Mahoney, former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, and appeals court judge Jose Cabranes are worthy picks. A Post article from yesterday indicated the pressure Bush is under to pick a Hispanic, with political consequences if he doesn’t.

The Los Angeles Times runs a good piece today, which indicates that Democrats would likely filibuster (as they should) the selection of Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown, Edith Jones of Houston, or Michael Luttig. It appears from this story that a selection of Edith Brown Clement of New Orleans or former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson would win Democratic support. The fact that Bush is even considering Brown, Jones, or Owen shows you that he is not hesitant about the nuclear option, and wants a confrontation, a deluded mindset coming from a man of inebriation and a sub-40 approval rating.

Bob Novak, who is still taken seriously by way too many inside the Beltway, says that speculation in legal circles indicates Bush will go with Owen.