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Roberts assured, Bush may name next pick today

Picking a second nominee for Supreme Court justice presents the White House with political challenges.

By wire services
Published September 29, 2005

WASHINGTON - As the Senate votes today to confirm the first of two President Bush nominees to the Supreme Court, the administration is wrapping up an interview process similar to the one that produced Chief Justice-designee John Roberts.

While Bush asked aides to research more female jurists to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, he is also looking at longtime candidates who have backing from conservative legal organizations. The president has also evaluated the records of Hispanic and African-American candidates.

Bush could make his nomination as early as today, the same day the Senate is expected to confirm Roberts to succeed Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who died Sept. 3. So far, 76 senators - more than three-fourths of the 100-member Senate - have said they plan to vote to confirm the 50-year-old Roberts, with 21 Democrats joining the 55 Republicans.

This time, virtually any nominee could provoke protest.

"Democrats seem more ready to fight this one, almost no matter who it is," said Jennifer Duffy, Senate editor for the Washington-based Cook Political Report.

If Bush nominates appeals judge Priscilla Owen, he risks uniting Democrats who once blocked her appointment as a federal judge.

And if he picks Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to be the Supreme Court's first Hispanic justice, he faces opposition from conservative supporters who say they are concerned about his views on abortion.

One difference from the process that yielded Roberts' candidacy is a more abundant presence of women, including Karen Williams, an appeals judge from South Carolina, and Harriet Miers, who as White House counsel is helping to conduct the search.

The list also includes more familiar names: Owen of Austin, Texas; Edith Jones of Houston; and Janice Rogers Brown of Washington, D.C. - all federal appellate judges.

Gonzales isn't the only minority on the list. Bush is said to be considering former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, an African-American who is general counsel for PepsiCo.

Also in contention are Michael Luttig of Virginia, Michael McConnell of Utah and Samuel Alito of New Jersey.

--Information from the Associated Press and the Dallas Morning News was used in this report.

[Last modified September 29, 2005, 01:20:09]