Ashcroft is resigning. There's your next Supreme Court Justice.

[terrya]

Any takers on this bet?

[bicentennial_baby]

1. Just occured to me last night

:scared:

[novadem]

2. I agree.

A lot of folks are saying he was dead weight. If that was the case he would have been let go prior to the election.

He is resigning soon as AG to get a break and get his house in order in time for a nasty nomination battle.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

3. i agree...he is going to be nominated soon

should be an interesting battle to watch...

theProdigal

[jfalchion]

4. He's too old

They want to control the courts for ~30 years. I expect nominations of people about 40. G-d help us.

Reid and Schumer can help, of course.


:kick:

[Must_B_Free]

19. He might have some serious health problems too

the pancreas is not something to have going wrong.

[mtnester]

27. GOD will NOT help us...

that is painfully obvious

[liberalpress]

5. And think about this if you dare...

Chief Justice Clarence Thomas

[jfalchion]

8. Arrrgh!!!

Think about CJ Ann Coulter.

[blondeatlast]

6. Crap. See the post above.

I was just thinking about SCOTUS.

Damn, terrya, you're right. I wondered why he was leaving. It's all so clear now.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1327065

[peekaloo]

7. would make for a VERY interesting Senate confirmation.

[Catfight]

9. Roy Hill, I think that's his name, the wack job and the 10 commandments.

He will be the nomination.

[SangamonTaylor]

10. that would be Roy Moore

former Chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court.

He would certainly be Borked.

[Catfight]

12. WTFever...Roy Moore bigotry...why not. Bush WILL attempt to appoint

him, mark my words.

[Zuni]

14. Alabama, not Mississippi

[antigone382]

11. Thta's what my daughter's been saying

Personally I've nominated him for the "Gets a Divinely Granted Painful, Debilitating, Deadly Creeping Crud Disease" Department.

[antigone382]

38. Umm, someone's been posting under my username again!

Not to mention any names--cough--buddyhollysghost--cough.

I AM the daughter, and BHG is the mom. Yet another computer mishap.

Oh well, no hard feelins'.

But God, the idea of us being stuck with Asscrack until he dies...what a painful thought. :hurts: We'll all be wearing burkas within a decade.

[Silverhair]

13. Ashcroft is 62. They will want someone younger.

They will be looking for someone in his/her 40's, so that once they are on the court, they can stay there longer. They aren't stupid.

[Zuni]

15. Besides, our minority would filibuster the hell out of him

[glitch]

21. Is that all? He looks much older. Must be all that godly living.nt

[Bossy Monkey]

16. He's looking for the next dead guy to lose to n/t

[newyawker99]

33. LOL!! Good one!

[catmandu57]

17. No.

There was a photo of herr assmunch on the front page of the local rag, he looked like death warmed over. Herr assmunch is not going to be amongst the living for long looking like that.

[chimp chump]

18. Ashcroft too old.

Bush will push Scalia for Chief. Scalia is what he's promised for a long time. And Scalia is a lot smarter and a better constitutional lawyer than Thomas. And Scalia is willing to take all the heat too.

Look for Bush S.C. appointees to be 45-53 years old. He'll want to leave a lasting legacy.

I do wonder if some of these justices will hold out, not wanting Bush to replace them. Even the Republican justices may not want him to choose their successor. But it looks like there'll be no choice for Rehnquist. His health problems are just too severe for him to last, I think.

A year from now, there's gonna be a new chief justice, probably Scalia.

Watch for Frist and the GOP senate to change their internal procedural rules on confirmation of justices. They're going to shift into high gear and force up/down votes. Remember, the filibuster is only a longstanding senate procedural tradition. Not a constitutional requirement.

[terrya]

22. Souter's health is ok. I'm worried about Stevens.

He's 84. I sincerely hope his health will be ok for the next 4 years.

And presumably, Ginsburg and Breyer are ok.

[chimp chump]

23. the health of current justices.

I've been surprised that Stevens seems to be holding up so well. I've no doubt he will hold out until 2008 if at all possible.

Breyer is younger and presumably in good health.

You may recall that Ginsberg had treatment for colon cancer in 1999. But I haven't heard much more.

O'Connor seems frail and I've read a few bits about her health being poor but nothing imminently threatening. Just advancing age.

[glitch]

20. Good - he's old and sick and won't last long.nt

[against all enemies]

24. Come on, he is leaving for health reasons. Republicans are NOT

going to put some one old and unhealthy on the Supreme Court. They want some one who will torture us for 50 years. I'll take your bet.

[October]

25. That's what my husband said when he first heard...Damn

[David Zephyr]

26. Well, we've said the same thing in our home...

but didn't want to post it or breathe it because it is so unthinkable.

But now that you've opened it up, I think that Ascroft will be Bush's first SCOTUS nominee and for Chief Justice.

[TheWebHead]

28. Bush won't pick someone as old as Asscroft

it's more likely he picks someone in their early to mid 50s to get maximum impact. Plus Ashcroft would never be confirmed, as there would be a bloodbath for blue state republican Senators in '06 forward if they went along and put him in.

[Kahuna]

29. That's what I fear. Thanks Nader!!!1

:puke:

[Nikepallas]

30. Had that thought yesterday.

[msanthrope]

31. Any Democrat who does not filibuster

that asshole must be hunted down and cast out from the party....

[terrya]

32. Are there enough votes to filibuster now?

45 Senators...is that enough?

[DaveinMD]

34. you need

41 votes to fillibuster.

[TheWebHead]

37. yes and you can add

Arlen Specter, Lincoln Chafee, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins to the list that will block the nutty right nominees.

[blondeatlast]

39. There was a small degree of good to come out of 11/2--yes; it takes 41.

Praise the Lord--I mean it.

[11 Bravo]

35. NFC

And that stands for No. Fucking. Chance. Won't happen.

[iwantmycountryback]

36. How many votes are needed in the Senate for it to be approved?

Because Republican moderates like Chaffee, Specter, Snowe, and Collins will not approve this guy one would hope.