Specter Says Bush Should Bypass Gonzales for Supreme Court Post

[stevedeshazer]

Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush should bypass U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for the second opening on the U.S. Supreme Court because his nomination likely would spark a contentious confirmation fight, Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter said.

``I believe it's a little too soon for Attorney General Gonzales to move up,'' Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said on NBC's ``Meet the Press'' program. ``He's an able fellow, but we just went through a tough confirmation hearing, and my sense is that the national interest would be best served if he stayed in that job right now.''

<snip>

Specter said Bush should consider a woman to replace O'Connor, the court's first female justice. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the other woman on the court.

``I think it would be helpful if he can find a woman who he thinks is the right person for the job,'' Specter said. ``I think that we ought to have more women on the court. Two is a bare minimum. We really ought to have more.''

link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aOCjPn7aVbpo&refer=us

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Someone's gonna be paying Sen. Specter a visit, and soon....

[SpiralHawk]

1. "The national interest would best be served if..."

Allow me to finish that thought for you, Senator:

"...all cronies of BushCo, including George Jr., took truth serum and went on live TV to TESTIFY before the nations..."

Testify brothers...

Testify sisters...

It will soothe your souls.

[iamjoy]

2. Nah, It Will Be Janice Rogers Brown

and Dubya will get accolades for appointing the first African American woman to SCOTUS, after his father appointed an African American man. How can people claim Republicans are racist? Have Democrats appointed African Americans to SCOTUS?

Of course, the problem is, that while Janice Rodgers Brown is female and is African American, everything she stands for is anethema to most women and African Americans. Dubya has a special skill for assembling a cabinet and picking appointees who are very ethnically diverse, but idealogically narrow.

[stevedeshazer]

3. Good observation

A JRB appointment would be every bit as cynical as Poppy's appointment of Clarence Thomas.

[Benhurst]

4. "Have Democrats appointed African Americans to SCOTUS?"

Yes, Thurgood Marshall, who was nominated by John F. Kennedy.

[iamjoy]

11. Yeah, That Was Over Forty Years Ago

I guess I should have clarified it to mean when was the last time or what has been done recently

Don't get me wrong, I think you can appoint a few token people to some high profile positions, but if your policies have a negative impact on the daily lives of minorities, are you really a friend to them? But, you know how the spin machine works in this country.

Despite the fact that Al Sharpton would describe Ms. Brown as "my color, but not my kind" any Democrat voting against her would have to answer to the African American community, and could likely lose support with them. I think it is why a lot of Democrats from states with large Hispanic populations confirmed Gonzalez. They weren't giving in to Dubya, per se, but they knew the majority of the Hispanic community would never forgive them for voting against him.

[goclark]

19. You would not have to answer to me for Janice "Brown Nose" Brown

She is another Condi.

Black people would see right through it.

Besides, others would wrongly think that there were two African Americans on the court but really there would be ZERO.

[bornskeptic]

14. Actually, Marshall wasappointed by LBJ in 1967. n/t

[Benhurst]

23. Thanks, bornskeptic. You're right. One of the disadvantages of having

lived through a period is not bothering to check a specific date you think you remember.

[Tiggeroshii]

5. I hear there's a lot of very conservative women on his short list..

I wouldn't be surprised if he goes for one. Would probably bring public support up as well.

[Zynx]

17. Clement would be an obvious choice.

Clement lives in Louisiana and thus Bush could pander this way and she is not controversial enough to cause him political difficulty except perhaps with his conservative base.

[FightingIrish]

6. Since Bush has already nominated the judge who will

preside over his own impeachment trial, why not add his former personal counsel to the court.

[Tiggeroshii]

7. Could the Supreme court in any way stop impeachment

trials?

[Doris32r]

10. I was thinking that too.

That maybe Bush wants Roberts to be chief because he thinks that will help him. He probably will nominate a very right wing woman for justice.

[Zenlitened]

8. I think he should nominate Al Gore, I really do. It would be...

... and incredible act of healing for this country.

Of course, what I think Bush "should" do and what I expect he "will" do... :eyes:

[pushycat]

9. Bypass Gonzales for sure

A little too soon is right. How about never.
We need someone chosen on the basis of qualifications, experience, wisdom, and a work product that demonstrates a clear support for the US Constitution, not those stupid 'shared values' memes. The SC is not some kind of coven, its the supreme judicial body of our country.

Our future civil liberties are in peril with this guy - he's a bushbot on automatic pilot beholden to Bush dynasty. Wouldn't ever let a bushman get caught even if it meant taking a political hit. Ha - he better if he wants to keep his kneecaps intact. He's way too compromised. Hope Spectre can keep him OUT.

[Catfight]

12. Why another white conservative male as chief injustice? Why not

appoint a black woman? Have someone that represents real america, not another white power hungry conservative male. We've had enough, this is the 21st century, time to make 21st century decisions.

NO to roberts..YES to a black female as chief justice. I can't accept there isn't a qualified black female to serve this country. Come America, demand a balanced court that represents the direction of America. Oust Bush before he screws up the court with his white male cronies.

[Akoto]

13. Female nominee, eh? Here's a scary thought for you ...

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. Wouldn't that be one of the signs of the Apocalypse? (n/t)

[kdmorris]

15. Considering how much they fought to get them judgeships

I am expecting that they will nominate Priscilla Owen or Janice Rogers-Brown. Considering how much he just showed his racism/classism, I expect it will be Rogers-Brown, just to make it impossible to vote against her.

Then again, I thought he would nominate one of them in the first place, so I was surprised when he nominated Roberts to O'Connor's spot in the first place.

Man, I'm just going to be sick. This was just the nightmare I was expecting on Nov. 3rd when I realized that it was all over.

[pushycat]

18. Priscilla Owens, JRB or Roberts - all losers.

Both these women and Roberts are bought and weird. Of ALL THE GOOD candidates available, why do we have to even look at these candidates FACES, they're not SC caliber!!! They are bushbots. They have been compromised in favor of the Bush dynasty. REJECT THEM and get someone competant to represent the great laws of our great country.

[kdmorris]

21. I'm with you

Priscilla Owen and JRB should have been rejected to begin with, back when they were up for their judgeships. But I don't choose the SC nominees. Bush does. And he will chose those people who helped him politically and financially. That was what everyone was screaming from the rooftops last year.

[aresef]

20. B-but Gonzales fits perfectly with the Adminstration's view...

"Torture is good for the soul."

[stevedeshazer]

22. Interesting that no one here noticed what I think is the main point

Arlen Specter has wandered off the *Bushco reservation again.

Doesn't anyone remember when Bush jerked Specter's chain before?

-Patriot Act

-Pro-choice