Patterico's Pontifications

7/1/2005

Angry Clam: To War

Filed under: Judiciary — Angry Clam @ 7:38 am



Word is that Sandra Day O’Connor (the Justice, not the Maryland District Attorney) has retired this morning. The news is coming from the Heritage Foundation, purportedly from Justice Thomas’ wife, who’s a high level employee there. [See UPDATE in extended entry. It’s official.]

Now is when we get to see if W, as is his habit, decides to screw conservatives- this is his chance to actually move the Court rightward, and he had better fucking take it.

There’s that Clam you know and love, what with the swearing and the anger.

UPDATE FROM PATTERICO: The news is now official, as I’m sure you know. Howard Bashman is reporting that we should not expect a nominee before July 8.

The other day a colleague insisted that I give my prediction. It is Garza — with whom I’d be quite happy. Given the fact that it is O’Connor and not (yet) Rehnquist who is retiring, I think Garza is an even better bet, although Edith Jones is an outside possibility.

I’m also mulling over whether I should withdraw my prediction that Democrats will not filibuster the first nominee. That prediction was predicated on the assumption (which seemed solid at the time) that Rehnquist would be the first retirement announced.

31 Responses to “Angry Clam: To War”

  1. Yeah, dammit, he’d better take it, or we’ll get hopping mad and … er … not re-elect him this November. Yeah, that’s the ticket.

    Xrlq (6c76c4)

  2. […] Sandra O’Connor has announced her announced her resignation, again. The Clam declares war. […]

    damnum absque injuria » Deja, Like, Vu (38c04c)

  3. My sense is Bush doesn’t like protracted battles and wants to be seen as a consensus builder. You would think he of all people would have learned by now that trying to do that earns him no points with his enemies and he may as well nominate a true conservative rather than a squishy moderate. And even the squishy moderate may be demonized. But who knows? Republicans are slow learners.

    Gerald A (dd601b)

  4. “My sense is Bush doesn’t like protracted battles and wants to be seen as a consensus builder. ”

    you really believe that uniter not divider stuff?

    actus (cd484e)

  5. Day O! (connor); Dayyyyyyy O (connor!)

    Daylight come and she want to go home.

    Christopher Cross (afc5ce)

  6. you really believe that uniter not divider stuff?

    What exactly has he done or said that’s divisive?

    Gerald A (dd601b)

  7. “you really believe that uniter not divider stuff?”

    Yes, I do. Bush has tried to unite this country since before his election, during the campaign when he made the statement. And, since then dividers have responded with nonstop hatred and ridicule. Never have I witnessed such a contemptuous public display of savagery unleashed by those who would appropriate for themselves virtues they clearly don’t possess. Small minded, little people, out to trash a great man because he won’t dance to their silly notions.

    I’ll gladly take George W Bush over the drooling unprincipled goons on the Left anytime.

    Black Jack (ee9fe2)

  8. Brown and Gonzalez may be the obvious names to throw around, but I’m also hearing a lot from some well placed people in DC that Michael B. Mukasey, Chief Judge of the SDNY, will be high on the list. He’s a Reagan appointee and is considered a religious conservative.

    the dude (4c543c)

  9. President Bush Temporarily Nominates Judge Judy Until A Real Justice Is Confirmed

    (July 1, 2005) The Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced her resignation from the bench in a letter sent to the President.

    “In order to calm a pending riot among the media, prevent suicide among the court watchers, give the candidates opportunity to have high-priced dinners with their favorite Senators, and allow plenty of time for the opposing ideological camps to prepare for battle, I nominating Judge Judy to temporarily replace Justice O’Connor. She is very entertaining, media savvy and all around cool chick. And, oh, yes, she knows a little bit about this thing called ‘the law.’ ” We have a long hot summer ahead of us, but Hollywood box office has slumped and the TV ratings are down. Something dramatic must be done.”

    A real Justice, who will interpret the Constitution literally with a weight given to the intent of the Founders or legislate from the bench based on ever changing fad in pop culture or benevolent agitprop, will be appointed before the Court resumes work in fall.

    ///

    more at http://satire.myblogsite.com/blog

    David (03f14c)

  10. Pat – he needs to do two things:

    Rod Stanton (7b6143)

  11. Firts – he needs to replace the good Dr. with a competent leader so things get done in the Senate.

    Second – He should nominate the most conservative judge around. The MSM/DNC will beat Hel- out of whomever he puts forth. So go for broke.
    But it will be of no avail if Frist is the man trying to run the op. He can not manage. May be a great physician; but…

    Rod Stanton (7b6143)

  12. “Never have I witnessed such a contemptuous public display of savagery unleashed by those who would appropriate for themselves virtues they clearly don’t possess”

    Looks like two people need blowjobs. You to calm down, and Dubya, so we can spend millions investigating it.

    actus (cd484e)

  13. “Now is when we get to see if W, as is his habit”

    Clam,

    I think when it comes to the judiciary, Bush has shown the opposite to be his habit. His selections to date have been exemplary.

    Gerry (ba8044)

  14. I hate the recent private-to-private eminent domain ruling. However, all the absolutist land rights fanatics have it wrong too. They seem to overlook the extreme case where an envirowacko group becoming owner of a small plot of land would be given enormous power over a city. This enormous power was avoided with the Supreme Court ruling, but is reinstated with the proposed federal law which stops aid to cities that take land. Soon Sierra Unlimited can own small plots in the way of development and demand 10x their normal selling price and demand the the city only use lightbulbs manufactured by vegan immigrants. They use the sale proceeds to buy yet more land in the way of development, or hold a charity benefit to convince old ladies to put Sierra Unlimited in their will.

    It is shocking that people claim there is absolutely no situation in the country where private-to-private eminent domain is appropriate. Obstinate small shop owners in downtown skyscraper areas where skylines are being managed is one of those. All we hear is fear of the other extreme case of cities condemning houses of lifelong residents to build Walmarts; which is never appropriate.

    Hopefully Bush will appoint someone with a fresh mind capable of generating an opinion more complex than these last ones.

    Shredstar (91b3b2)

  15. Back on June 18th 2004, I pondered this as well (there was talk then that O’Connor might step down.

    1. Bush will name a solid conservative Supreme Court nominee (Garza seems like a good bet) should a vacancy occur this summer. In response, the Democrats in the Senate will threaten or conduct a filibuster, but will be defeated and suffer a backlash. “Viability” will become the standard in the abortion debate. (This is far from the entrenched Democratic position and closer to that of mainstream Republican thinking).

    I am not as excited about Garza as I would be about Luttig, but I think also that it is important for Bush to keep his word about appointing a conservative (like Scalia) Hispanic for nothing more than smashing the identity politics of the Dems.

    I was disappointed that he did not push through Estrada. I may well be wrong, but I am on the record.

    BTW, that 10 Commandments prediction earlier was spot on. What a mess.

    Paul Deignan (ab1dfa)

  16. Correction: that was 2003.

    Paul Deignan (ab1dfa)

  17. Can we at least agree that Gonzalez is not acceptable? McConnell seems like a good choice. I don’t know as much about them, but from what I hear I like Garza and Mukasey as well.

    Peter (4c543c)

  18. I’m agreed that Gonzales would be a disaster of the first magnitude and an essential betrayal of all those who turned out to vote on values in the last election.

    Paul Deignan (ab1dfa)

  19. Of course, there is a way we can all be happy.

    Appoint them all (all top 10 conservative judges) and then we can even through in Gonzales.

    I like to think of this as the MOAB option: conventional and massive. Get the court once and for all back to reading the Constitution as it was written. If we need to amend it, fine. Well rewrite the 2d Amendment to preclude private ownership of RPGs and raise the $20 limit.

    Paul Deignan (ab1dfa)

  20. The only way Gonzales is acceptable is as a replacement to Stevens, but even then…since Kennedy’s fallen off his rocker I don’t know if it’s worth the risk.

    Joel B. (c3cbe6)

  21. Empty seat at SCOTUS – O’Conner retires

    And the war is joined. Two immensely powerful forces meet in the political equivilant of toe to toe nuclear combat to fill the seat. What great entertainment this will be. Warning: Don’t misunderestimate the Chimpster, again.

    Mark in Mexico (59ce3a)

  22. Can we all agree that his name is “Gonzales” not “Gonzalez”?

    Angry Clam (f05866)

  23. Ok, but it’s like trying to remeber how many “g’s” in Schwartzgeneggger.

    Mark in Mexico (62e97d)

  24. there’s no “T” in schwarzenegger

    Kevin Murphy (6a7945)

  25. Or, we could use Matt Gonzalez’s nickname (the Green Party guy who ran for mayor of San Francisco last time around) from when he was in college at Columbia: “Zippy Zalez.”

    I refer to Alberto Gonzales as that when I’m not saying that his name is Spanish for “David Souter.”

    Angry Clam (f05866)

  26. there’s no “T” in schwarzenegger

    Yes there is. It’s silent. And invisible.

    Christopher Cross (a95b4d)

  27. What a shame O’Connor had to leave, boohoo. Now I can’t wait for the usual suspects to tell us that anyone Bush nominates is slightly more evil than Satan. On the other hand I can’t wait for Bush to nominate another O’Connor. Did you know Gonzalez is Spanish for Souter?

    ANGRY CLAM EDIT: IT IS GONZALES, NOT GONZALEZ.

    Thomas Jackson (708a0c)

  28. actus:

    It’s kind of you to offer, but no thanks.

    Black Jack (ee9fe2)


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