President Bush nominated Judge John G. Roberts Jr. today to replace Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, whose death late Saturday opened a second vacancy on the Supreme Court and a new front in the ideological battle over the judiciary.
"In his extraordinary career, Judge Roberts has argued 39 cases before the nation's Highest Court," Bush said Monday at the White House. "When I nominated him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, he was confirmed by unanimous consent. Both those who've worked with him and those who have faced him in the courtroom speak with admiration of his striking ability as a lawyer and his natural gifts as a leader. Judge Roberts has earned the nation's confidence and I'm pleased to announce that I will nominate him to serve as the 17th chief justice of the Supreme Court."
LifeNews reports on a press release from the Christian Defense Coalition:
One pro-life advocate said he was disappointed President Bush didn't nominate either Justice Clarence Thomas or Antonin Scalia to replace Rehnquist.Steve at Pardon my English expresses my sentiments:"President Bush has often stated the two Supreme Justices he admired most where Justice Thomas and Scalia," Christian Defense Coalition director Rev. Patrick Mahoney said. "Therefore, it is very troubling that he would pass over them for Judge Roberts."
I see this as a predictable move and a safe choice for Bush when I wish he would have made a bold move....Even though Roberts is widely respected in liberal and conservative circles, you can bet the left is going to renew their attacks on him. I expect it will take about three minutes for them to throw out the "experience" card. As long as there is going to be a fight, Bush should have nominated a known quantity -- Antonin Scalia -- then backed him up firmly rather than leaving him to twist in the wind as Bush is sometimes known to do.
