From an interview with North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad:
WASHINGTON IS FILLED WITH RUMORS OVER THE FUTURE OF THE SUPREME COURT. IN THE DEMOCRATIC CAMP, LEADERS SAY THEY KNOW THE PRESIDENT'S NOMINEE WILL BE A CONSERVATIVE. BUT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE HE'S AS CLOSE TO THE CENTER AS POSSIBLE.Sen. Kent Conrad\(D) North Dakota: "I encourage the President to send forward a mainstream, well-respected jurist who can command majority support, and I don't mean a narrow majority, but a strong majority, I think this is an opportunity for the President to bring the country together, to be a uniter, not a divider."
IT'S ANYBODY'S GUESS WHO THE NOMINEE WILL BE. DOZENS OF NAMES HAVE BEEN TOSSED AROUND, BUT DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE HAVE BEEN VOICING THEIR SUPPORT FOR ONE IN PARTICULAR.
Sen. Kent Conrad\(D) North Dakota: "I would make one recommendation to him specifically- if he would name the Attorney General of the United States to the court, I believe he would enjoy very broad support, would get at least 70, perhaps 80 votes in the United States Senate."
That's all well and good, except for the fact that Conrad voted against Gonzalez's appointment as Attorney General. In fact, most of the Senate Democrats voted against Gonzalez for Attorney General.
So why would Gonzalez get such widespread support for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court when he didn't get nearly as much support for a four-year stint as Attorney General?
If you ask me its because the Democrats view Gonzalez as being the lesser of two evils. Gonzalez, on some prime issues like abortion and affirmative action, leans to the left. He's much more "liberal" than just about any other person Bush is likely to tap. Plus, the Dems know that the President really likes Gonzalez. If the Democrats can convince Bush that he could avoid a protracted nomination battle by sending Gonzalez up he just might go for it instead of choosing a better candidate.
That is, somebody who's more likely to rule based on the original intent of the Constitution.
Rob Port is the owner and operator of Say Anything.
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Comments (5)
Wheels within wheels! Mayb... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Toby928 | July 11, 2005 8:50 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Wheels within wheels! Maybe we are now supposed to reject Gonzalez because Conrad supports him, or maybe we know thats what he's trying to do so we support Gonzalez. I'm getting confused.
Toby 8-of-378879
1. Posted by Toby928 | July 11, 2005 8:50 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 11, 2005 20:50
2. Posted by bullwinkle | July 11, 2005 9:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
So now the very same democrats that were against an attorney general who they claimed supported torture belongs on the supreme court. They'll take a man they considered to be a torturer as long as he's like to vote to uphold Roe v. Wade? And to think some people claim the democrats have no direction, seems like to me they do, it's just that it's a circular route they are taking, kinda like a moth making continuous left hand turns around a light bulb. Could that be called a moonbat holding pattern?
2. Posted by bullwinkle | July 11, 2005 9:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 11, 2005 21:05
3. Posted by ed | July 12, 2005 12:07 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hmmm.
The reason why the Democrats wouldn't mind a Gonzales nomination is because of the reaction by the conservative base in the GOP. If anyone other than a staunch conservative constitutionalist is nominated by Bush, conservatives will go absolutely bonkers.
3. Posted by ed | July 12, 2005 12:07 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 12, 2005 00:07
4. Posted by McGehee | July 12, 2005 9:18 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
If anyone other than a staunch conservative constitutionalist is nominated by Bush, conservatives will go absolutely bonkers.
Ed, the Democrats are already there. Maybe they're looking for some company?
4. Posted by McGehee | July 12, 2005 9:18 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 12, 2005 09:18
5. Posted by ed | July 12, 2005 11:07 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hmmm.
If Bush nominates anyone but a staunch conservative constitutionalist, then the Dems will have plenty of company.
I'm a hard-right conservative, as-is many of my friends, and I can tell you from first hand knowledge, there's a lot of dissatisfaction amongst conservative ranks. If Bush nominates Gonzales or someone similar, it'll be taken as Bush spitting on conservatives.
Then you can expect all Hell to break loose.
Which is why McCain is all of a sudden on the program. I think he realises that GOP retention of conservatives is a bit tenuous at this point.
5. Posted by ed | July 12, 2005 11:07 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 12, 2005 11:07