"Bush Plans Meeting on O'Connor Replacement"

Bush to Meet With Senators Over Second Vacancy on Court

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: September 17, 2005

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 - President Bush plans to meet Wednesday with
Republican and Democratic Senate leaders about filling the Supreme
Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor, Senate aides from both parties said.

Mr. Bush has said he plans to move quickly to nominate a successor to
Justice O'Connor, a pivotal swing vote on the court. But conservative
allies of the White House say they do not expect him to select someone
until the full Senate votes on the confirmation of Judge John G.
Roberts Jr. as chief justice later this month. The Senate Judiciary
Committee is expected to vote on the Roberts nomination on Thursday.
Justice O'Connor has said she will continue to sit with the court
until her replacement is confirmed.

Senate aides said Mr. Bush has invited Senator Arlen Specter, the
Pennsylvania Republican who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee,
and Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, the committee's ranking
Democratic member, as well as Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the
majority leader, and Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic
leader.