Bush chooses Judge Roberts for Supreme Court - Yahoo! News
Why, it's a white guy with helmet hair who filed briefs on behalf of Operation Rescue! Why am I not surprised? This -from the New York Times- was all I needed to hear about this guy-
"The president is a man of his word," said Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group. "He promised to nominate someone along the lines of a Scalia or a Thomas, and that is exactly what he has done."
Barf.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush chose conservative appeals court judge John Roberts on Tuesday as his first nominee to the Supreme Court, igniting what could be a fierce partisan clash over his drive to move the closely divided court to the right.
With Roberts at his side, Bush appealed for a "dignified confirmation process" and a timely vote by the Senate. Bush sought to cast Roberts as a bipartisan choice with the right legal background and "a good heart," hoping to avoid the bitter Senate battles that blocked 10 of his most conservative nominees to lower courts during his first term.
At 50 years of age, Roberts could put Bush's stamp on the court for decades to come if he is confirmed by the Senate.
A solidly conservative Republican, Roberts would replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the high court and a moderate conservative who often controlled the outcome on issues such as abortion, affirmative action and civil liberties.
Senate Democrats voiced concern about Roberts' record and promised a full review. "No one is entitled to a free pass to a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Abortion rights groups seized on a brief he co-wrote in 1990 that suggested the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion should be overturned.
The American Civil Liberties Union expressed "deep concern" that Roberts, while serving as principal deputy solicitor general from 1989-1993, had backed the criminalization of flag burning as a form of political protest.
Roberts was part of a three-judge panel that handed Bush an important victory last week when it ruled that the military tribunals of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, could proceed. The treatment of prisoners there has been criticized by human rights groups and in the Arab world.
The quicker-than-expected decision on a replacement for retiring O'Connor could help the White House deflect attention from a growing controversy over the role of Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, in leaking a covert CIA operative's identity, Republican strategists said.
Administration officials said Rove was not a factor in the timing of the announcement.
*cough*bullshit*cough* This morning, no talk of Rove on the Today show's first news blip. Just last week, they were saying that it would "take several weeks" to nominate someone. Earlier this week, it was "Bush will spend this week interviewing" potential nominees. Then, boom, here it is Tuesday, and here is a controversial nominee for the press to slobber over.
Uh huh. No timing here whatsoever.
On a personal note, sorry I haven't written much lately. Just haven't felt like it.