Bush Has Many Options for Chief Justice (Chief Justice Roberts?)

By DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Among President Bush's options for filling the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist is renominating John Roberts for the top chair.

Bush picked Roberts to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, but with a little paper shuffling, he could withdraw that nomination and resubmit Roberts' name to fill Rehnquist's seat instead.

While that is only one of the president's choices, some legal experts who talk regularly with the White House say Bush might do just that. They say naming Roberts for chief justice might be the only way to ensure all nine seats on the court are filled when it begins its next term Oct. 3.

"Renominating Roberts (as chief justice) is among the most likeliest scenarios," said Brad Berenson, a White House lawyer during Bush's first term and a former Supreme Court clerk. "There is one and only one way that the court can start the new term in October with a chief justice in place and all nine seats filled and that is if the president switches Roberts over to be the nominee for chief."


The president might want to move quickly to avoid having the court begin a new term with only eight justices. That could result in 4-4 ties on controversial cases.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SCOTUS_BUSHS_OPTIONS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-09-04-23-24-16

or Luttig, Edith Jones, Garza, ect ect.

I think it's time for him to realize he's run out of capital. This is a terrible time to select a right-wing judge to the Supreme Court. As the body count rises in NOLA, people are going to get more motivated to find out how this incompetent little man was able to do so much damage in so little time. If it's discovered that his elections were rigged and that this has all been part of a conspiracy to put right-wingers in pivotal government positions, well, who's going to hold back the wrath of the waking giant then?

He's the -President-... He is too wrapped up in his cocoon of ego to let what others feel interfere with his own little power games.

You're right, of course. A more mature, insightful individual, having been given 2 nominees to appoint at the same time, might have thrown the opposition party a bone. Not necessarily a liberal and conservative, but at least a moderate and conservative.

But this is Bush we're talking about. Heck, in the wake of a huge national tragedy, they're still doing the "Freedom Walk" party in DC (which is also highly inappropriate, celebrating 9/11 with a party...).

These people have no shame!

As for their need to worry about the people rising up... They* might be thinking one of two things: either they are firm in their (delusional?) belief that they will always reamin in power, no matter what, or they know that their days are numbered but don't care because they've padded they're pocket already.

*When I say "They", I mean whoever is calling the shots, which is not necessarily Bush. Even if he gets hung out to dry, many corporate interests have already benefitted from this administration's policies, and will continue to benefit for some time to come.