Bush Mentions Gonzales in Comment on the Court

[im10ashus]

By RICHARD W. STEVENSON and SHERLY GAY STOLBERG
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 - President Bush said Tuesday that his list of candidates to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was "wide open," and he jokingly but pointedly singled out Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.

Mr. Bush's mention of Mr. Gonzales as a possibility, in comments to reporters at the end of a cabinet meeting, fueled concern among conservatives, who were already mobilizing against the attorney general. Conservatives say that Mr. Gonzales has not shown himself to be sufficiently opposed to abortion rights and that nominating him would miss an opportunity to move the court fundamentally to the right.

Mr. Bush said that he had yet to make up his mind and that he would "take a good, long look at who should replace Justice O'Connor." But he mentioned only one name, that of Mr. Gonzales, a longtime friend and aide who, if nominated and confirmed, would be the first Hispanic on the court.

"The list is wide open, which should create some good speculation here in Washington," Mr. Bush said to laughter in the Cabinet Room, with the attorney general sitting directly across from him. "And make sure you notice when I said that, I looked right at Al Gonzales, who can really create speculation."

The president's remark came as the Senate delayed until next week confirmation hearings for Judge John G. Roberts Jr., who had been nominated to fill Justice O'Connor's seat but who was selected by Mr. Bush on Monday as his nominee for chief justice after William H. Rehnquist died on Saturday. The hearings on Judge Roberts's nomination to Justice O'Connor's seat had been scheduled to begin Tuesday.

cont'd...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/07/politics/politicsspecial1/07confirm.html?hp&ex=1126065600&en=7bbf51931be392ef&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[fooj]

1. I've just about had more than I can take.

:banghead: :banghead: :cry: :cry:

[im10ashus]

2. I swear to God!

That would be about all I can handle.

[librechik]

3. oh, f**k

we are so over if that's the choice for O'Connor's seat.

[im10ashus]

5. There's already a short list, according to the NY Times.

Edith Brown Clement
Alberto Gonzales
Edith H. Jones
J. Michael Luttig
Michael W. McConnell
Priscilla R. OWen
J. Harvie Wilkinson III

My guess is he will go with a woman.

[unschooler]

4. Why would W worry enough about the fundy base to pass up a

chance to nominate a friend and the Court's first hispanic Justice? We know Gonzales will back him up on his security/executive power agenda, and I, for one, don't believe he really gives a damn about Roe. Further, he doesn't really care about the federalism issue, so long as he and his pals run the federal government. He's not running for re-election. Keeping the base happy by pretending to care about abortion will be the problem of whoever gets the Republican nomination in 08.

[im10ashus]

7. Will he be ready for the backlash of not nominating a woman?

I think he will try to appeal to that base - if he still has that base - the soccer moms.

[TomInTib]

6. Can'twe just get some DHS duct tape to put over his mouth...?

Pleeeeezzzeee...?

[im10ashus]

8. If that were all it took to do the job...