# Who will Bush nominate to succeed Justice O'Connor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 4, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049 "2005-07-04T20:22:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/121 "2005-07-19T21:42:04Z")
Cotton Mather. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/122 "2005-07-19T22:06:52Z")
OK. so he’s dead! Big deal. I guess it depends on strategy. Bush may decide he _needs_ a big ugly hairy fight over a dependable destructionist to pay off his campaign debt to the Trog Right. It distracts attention and permits them to portray the Dems as obstructionist, which he needs. If he nominates a moderate who sails through, he’s right back in the soup and, worse, the Dems have been accomodating and reasonable. Or he may risk it and nominate a genuine moderate (as this latest _appears_ to be) so that _he_ appears reasonable, etc. This is risky because the Trogs have already made it clear that its Payday, and they expect a jolly good pandering to. But the Bushiviks may figure that the Trogs have no place to go, and they can suck up in some other way to win them back. My darkest suspicion is they’ll go for a stealth. Slip in somebody with no clear record to object to but somebody who knows what to kiss, and when. Then at least they can say to the Trog right: Boy, we sure outsmarted them libruhls, huh? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/123 "2005-07-19T23:09:08Z")
Changed my mind. I think Gonzales and this latest woman were trial balloons. The “pro-life” trogs went nuts both times, so they’ve both been quietly withdrawn the best way possible: by claiming they were never there in the first place. Which means the Bushiviks have decided that they absolutely cannot afford to alienate the fervently committed base. They will nominate the most reliably anti-RvW candidate on the shorts list. Which means, of course, that all hell will break loose. But they’ve decided that having us at each others throats is better than having us at his. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/124 "2005-07-19T23:12:05Z")
Bush likes bold moves, so I supsect it will not be a “compromise” candidate-- a conservative who won’t give the Democrats coniptions. I don’t know exactly who this will be, but expect a Scalia or a Thomas, not an O’Conner. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/125 "2005-07-19T23:19:27Z")
The hot smart chick who does the SC for _Lehrer_ agrees with me. And **John**. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/126 "2005-07-19T23:22:29Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Jerome Howard Moe Howard. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/127 "2005-07-19T23:29:55Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > The hot smart chick who does the SC for _Lehrer_ agrees with me. And **John**. Nina Totenberg??? Or is there a new one. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/128 "2005-07-19T23:44:29Z")
AP reporting that it will be John C. Roberts Jr ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/129 "2005-07-19T23:48:18Z")
> [@beagledave](#): > > AP reporting that it will be John C. Roberts Jr err John **G**. Roberts… ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/130 "2005-07-19T23:50:55Z")
Wikipedia entry [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John\_G.\_Roberts\_Jr](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_G._Roberts_Jr). ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/131 "2005-07-19T23:51:04Z")
> [@beagledave](#): > > AP reporting that it will be John C. Roberts Jr …and it’s already in his Wikipedia entry. Twice, at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/132 "2005-07-19T23:52:05Z")
> [@beagledave](#): > > Wikipedia entry > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John\_G.\_Roberts\_Jr](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_G._Roberts_Jr). errr well it WAS there 5 seconds ago, I suspect it may be being updated 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/133 "2005-07-19T23:54:08Z")
Let the filibuster begin! Roberts will not fly and will not be confirmed. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/134 "2005-07-19T23:55:03Z")
What’s wrong with him? ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/135 "2005-07-19T23:56:25Z")
[http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050719-1644-scotus-bush.html](http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050719-1644-scotus-bush.html) “Bush chooses appeals judge John Roberts Jr. for Supreme Court” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/136 "2005-07-19T23:57:03Z")
[From ABC](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/SupremeCourt/story?id=954398&page=1) > [@](#): > > While deputy solicitor general, Roberts co-signed a brief in Rust v. Sullivan that argued for a ban on federal money for clinics that provided abortions, counseled women about the procedure or referred them to a facility for an abortion. The brief went further than the question presented in the case, arguing that “we continue to believe that Roe was wrongly decided and should be overruled.” > > In a second abortion-related case, Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic, Roberts signed a “friend of the court” brief arguing that Operation Rescue was not engaged in a conspiracy to deprive women of their constitutional rights. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/137 "2005-07-19T23:57:03Z")
His Wiki entry in its entirety as of 19:57 EDT, 7.19.05: > [@](#): > > long live the white male hegemony I HEART HIM IN THE WHOLE WORLDS! he is a very good choice i love him. Ghod, I love wiki. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/138 "2005-07-19T23:57:28Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Let the filibuster begin! Roberts will not fly and will not be confirmed. [Really](http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2005/07/01/supremecourt/whoswho705827_0_6_person.shtml)? > [@](#): > > Roberts’ nomination to the appellate bench attracted support from both ends of the ideological spectrum. > > Some 146 members of the D.C. Bar signed a letter urging his confirmation, **including officials from the Clinton administration.** The letter stated: "He is one of the very best and most highly respected appellate lawyers in the nation, with a deserved reputation as a brilliant writer and oral advocate. He is also a wonderful professional colleague both because of his enormous skills and because of his unquestioned integrity and fair-mindedness. Guess those officials from the Clinton administration will end up eating their words of support then? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/139 "2005-07-19T23:59:07Z")
> [@beagledave](#): > Some officials of the Clinton administration \<\> Democratic mainstream. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049/140 "2005-07-20T00:00:59Z")
I’m listening to early coverage right now, and this guy is getting rave reviews from both sides. I just heard Jim Warren, who’s no Republican, say he’s a ‘fantastic guy’, ‘born for the bench’, and a ‘brilliant choice’ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-bush-nominate-to-succeed-justice-oconnor/311049.md?page=8)