In June, 2003, we wrote about New York Senator Charles Schumer's letter to President Bush suggesting recommended replacements for any retiring Court Justices:

New York Senator Charles Schumer is pushing Pennsylvania Republican Senator Arlen Spector for a seat on the Supreme Court.

Schumer's suggested list of five candidates includes Specter and Michael Mukasey, a Ronald Reagan appointee now serving as chief judge of the federal court in Manhattan. He also recommends judges Anne Williams, Edward Prado and Stanley Marcus, all current federal appeals court judges nominated by Republican presidents.

Schumer's effort to block the nominations of lawyer Miguel Estrada and Texas Supreme Court Judge Priscilla Owen has angered Republicans, who have suggested redrafting Senate rules to prevent filibusters of judicial nominees. Here is the full text of Schumer's letter to President Bush. [links via How Appealing]

[hat tip Jim Lindgren at Volokh who reminds us of Schumer's letter today.]

After Specter's non-warning to Bush last week about appointing ideologues on the abortion issue, I'd say Specter has no chance. Jim thinks it will be Alberto Gonzales, as has been rumored for over a year. If I had to back someone on that short list, it would be Edward Prado of Texas hands-down, a Bush 5th Circuit nominee unanimously confirmed by the Senate.

Jim is not alone in predicting that Bush will select Alberto Gonzales. As we wrote in December, 2002, in a plea for readers not to back a third party candidate, the New York Times reported: