So, What Will it Be?
[Posted by The Angry Clam]
There’s reporting over at Redstate.org that the next Supreme Court nominee is down to two people:
Word in legal circles is that Priscilla Owen is set to become the next justice appointed to the United States Supreme Court. Unfortunately, I have received reliable information late this afternoon that Karl Rove, among others, is making a last minute push for the President to consider Alberto Gonzales, despite previous assurances from inside the White House, Justice Department, and Senate that Gonzales was not being considered.
One will make me pleased; one will make me furious. There’s a lot of people like me in the Republican Party base. Karl, let’s see if this is your Waterloo on reading which way the wind is blowing.
Why would Owen please you so much? I agree that she has been vilified by Democrats, but I’m not sure she is necessarily SCOTUS material.
The talk about Gonzales has the feel of a false lead designed to make conservatives more pleased with whomever Bush *does* pick.
Patterico (38003c) — 9/27/2005 @ 10:24 amKarl Rove should have been thrown out on his ass after the Plame affair.
Here is a guy who say on his hands while the credibility of the government was called into question at a critical time rather than just come out with what he said and why he said it.
Paul Deignan (9e57a7) — 9/27/2005 @ 10:30 amI have inside knowledge from Interpol that “Karl Rove” doesn’t exist. All his academic records were forged by people enrolling their pets under the name. Awesome disinformation campaign.
I read elsewhere (?Hewitt,??) that Estrada was possibly going to be brought up again.
A nonsensical aside. Does anyone else know that Alan Page, the NFL MVP at defensive end for the Vikings in the late 60’s and early 70’s is a judge in Minneapolis?? I saw a picture, not quite as imposing as he was back then. Tommy Casanova, LSU and Bengal all-pro is also a lawyer down in Louisiana, but he’s too nice to intimidate off of the field. Who would make a truely imposing Judge? (I had a friend who was a Navy SEAL…)
MD in Philly (b3202e) — 9/27/2005 @ 11:11 am#1 – That reason is the only one I can think of for Rove to start pro-Gonzales whispers. And it fits his M.O. perfectly.
biwah (f5ca22) — 9/27/2005 @ 11:53 amI’m not even going to speculate on what this “diversity” stuff means, if anything. Last time around, it was going to be a woman named Edith, remember?
Xrlq (816c74) — 9/27/2005 @ 1:04 pmMD- How about Byron White, who, before being a Supreme Court Justice, was in the NFL Hall of Fame? Pro football might be the most represented brand of athletics in the judiciary.
When you say SCOTUS material,, are you referring to qualifications or to jurisprudence?
On the qualifications side, yes, she went to Baylor. I actually don’t mind that- low tier law schools churn out tons of trash graduates a year, but their top students are near indistinguishable form those at other schools. Also, she’s a member of ALI, which isn’t too shabby.
As far as jurisprudence goes, I’m starting to despair of ever bringing the courts back to proper judicial modesty, and, as such, and ready to bring on Lochner type judges, so that part doesn’t bother me anymore.
Angry Clam (fa7fff) — 9/27/2005 @ 1:07 pmClam,
The “SCOTUS material” comment was mine. I don’t know; I’m just not overwhelmed with her. Other than being a woman, what distinguishes her from dozens of other potential candidates? We could do much better, I think.
Patterico (7c22e0) — 9/27/2005 @ 1:40 pmPatterico,
Other than being a woman, what distinguishes her from dozens of other potential candidates?
I’m pretty sure some of the other potential candidates (potential candidates – is that redundant?) are women, too. Either that, or I’m much more easily confused than I used to be.
Seriously, I too think AG is a ruse. If Rove actually leaked his name, then Gonzales is simply not a serious contender. At most, it was a trial balloon, and we already know the answer. Otherwise, he’s just a diversion.
Owen looks like a shortlist candidate, but so are other potential possible candidates, too.
ras (f9de13) — 9/27/2005 @ 2:03 pm“Other than being a woman, what distinguishes her from dozens of other potential candidates?”
New orleans.
actus (c9e62e) — 9/27/2005 @ 3:54 pmOnce again you show us just how dumb you are, actus.
Priscilla Owen sits in Austin. You’re thinking of Edith Clement.
Angry Clam (fa7fff) — 9/27/2005 @ 4:07 pmWell, the President can nominate anyone he wishes, but somehow it’s difficult for me to see him nominating one of the people who just took seats on the Courts of Appeals. John Roberts had a thin record as an appellate judge, and he’d been there for two years.
To nominate any of the three who were confirmed only due to the Gang of Fourteen is to say, that’s it, we’re going for the nuclear option.
Keith Thompson of Sane Nation suggested Alice Batchelder, who some have described as a female John Roberts. This might be a good way to go. (Even though he’d really rather see Janice Rogers Brown nominated.)
Dana R. Pico (8d0335) — 9/27/2005 @ 5:01 pmJohn Roberts is a bad way to go.
Angry Clam (a7c6b1) — 9/27/2005 @ 5:55 pmIIRC, the late Chief Justice had never sat on a bench when nominated by R. Nixon to Associate Justice.
Drew (0ed6e6) — 9/27/2005 @ 5:58 pmEither Janice Rogers Brown or Miguel Estrada would be perfect. But we must watch our “tone” musn’t we?
Harry Arthur (b318a5) — 9/27/2005 @ 7:22 pmConservatives want Janice Rodgers Brown. My guess is, by Rove supposedly leaking Alberto Gonzales as a candidate, conservatives will settle for Owen. (Or anyone else not Brown).
Frankly, I am getting sick of Republicans constantly caving in to Democrats. They ought to try to fight for once, and nominate Brown. Someone who is actually a conservative. Though granted, she’s a small government conservative, so presumably out of favor with the big government types that seem to run the Republican party these days….
Jeremy Reaban (391c85) — 9/28/2005 @ 1:25 amIn response to these comments:
I have inside knowledge from Interpol that “Karl Rove” doesn’t exist. All his academic records were forged by people enrolling their pets under the name. Awesome disinformation campaign.
I read elsewhere (?Hewitt,??) that Estrada was possibly going to be brought up again.
A nonsensical aside. Does anyone else know that Alan Page, the NFL MVP at defensive end for the Vikings in the late 60’s and early 70’s is a judge in Minneapolis?? I saw a picture, not quite as imposing as he was back then. Tommy Casanova, LSU and Bengal all-pro is also a lawyer down in Louisiana, but he’s too nice to intimidate off of the field. Who would make a truely imposing Judge? (I had a friend who was a Navy SEAL…)
Comment by MD in Philly — 9/27/2005 @ 11:11 am
Interesting comments. I agree with you that Tommy Casanova is a nice guy and would not intimidate a soul. However, he would not be a good candidate for a judgeship since he is an Ophthamologist
Tom Trahan (4dcba4) — 10/22/2005 @ 7:05 amTommy Casanova is a Doctor (opthamologist) in LA, not a lawyer.
Charles Riddle (a707e7) — 3/6/2007 @ 7:07 pm