Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
U.S. Supreme Court
Bush heads to Camp David to ponder next pick
Associated Press
Published October 29, 2005
WASHINGTON - President Bush is mulling a short list of prospective Supreme Court nominees this weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat.
The question is whether the president will nominate someone who meets with the approval of conservative groups that opposed the failed nomination of Harriet Miers. Conservatives say they expect Bush to choose someone with a stellar legal background, judicial experience and a public record of opinions.
Topping conservatives' list of favorites are federal appellate judges Samuel Alito, J. Michael Luttig, Alice Batchelder, Priscilla Owen, Michael McConnell, Karen Williams and Janice Rogers Brown as well as Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan.
Other potential candidates who are not judges include Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas; Chris Cox, a former congressman and current chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission; and Maureen Mahoney, a frequent litigator before the high court.
She sometimes is referred to as the "female version" of John Roberts, Bush's choice for chief justice, who was confirmed by the Senate 78-22.
"The president will probably just stick with the formula that has served him so well over five years of judicial selections, including the choice of Chief Justice John Roberts," said Wendy Long, counsel for the conservative Judicial Confirmation Network. "That is to pick a nominee with sterling legal credentials, weighty judicial experience and a transparent public record."
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, wrote in a letter to Bush on Friday that "Interest groups are not entitled to an extraconstitutional veto over Supreme Court appointments."
White House press secretary Scott McClellan said there would be no Supreme Court announcement while Bush was at Camp David.
The president is scheduled to return to Washington on Sunday afternoon.
[Last modified October 29, 2005, 01:46:07]
Share your thoughts on this story
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
