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Potential Supreme Court Nominees

By Jeralyn, Section Judiciary
Posted on Sun May 29, 2005 at 04:49:57 PM EST
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The White House is busy researching potential Supreme Court replacements, in anticipation of a June retirement of Chief Justice Rehnquist who suffers from thyroid cancer. Some speculate he's already made his choice. Here is the list of those believed to be in the running.

I predict it's down to three choices:

  • Former Solicitor General Ted Olson
  • Former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson
  • 10th Circuit Judge Michael McConnell

Of the three, I hope he picks Larry Thompson, whom I know and trust, an opinion shared by many defense lawyers.

But I think Bush will pick Ted Olson, the arch conservative and his lawyer in the Supreme Court in the Bush v. Gore case. Olsen has very strong ties to Richard Mellon Scaife, and is a staunch member of the New Theocracy.

The Denver Post has this profile of Michael McConnell today. Since the Senate easily approved his confirmation to the 10th Circuit, it might be hard for them to filibuster him now for the Supreme Court.

We're going to get a conservative on the Court no matter what, but there's no reason for it to be an extremist like Ted Olson.

Update: FourthAmendment.com writes:

A cynic might say that the White House has already been told to expect it to get the new Chief confirmed by the beginning of the next Term. I say expect two, under the assumption that the new Chief will come from within the Court, and it won't be Kennedy since he was in the majority on Lawrence v. Texas which angered conservatives. Having a conscience can cost one prestigious appointments, but earns one a place in history. Now if he only had the same guts in Bush v. Gore....

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    Potential Supreme Court Nominees | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#1)
    by Randinho on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    If it's Thompson, I hope someone asks him why he signed off on the rendition of Maher Arar . . .

    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    I agree, that's a question many will want an answer to. Rightfully so. But let's hear him out before assuming the worst.

    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Hiow to predict Bush nominations: (1) make a list of all potential candidates. (2) figure out the worst candidate for the job. (3) there's your nominee!

    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#4)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Gotta agree with rea...the pattern is clearly established here...it will be someone much worse than the most horrific candidate you can think of. Someone that makes you think back fondly on Rehnquist. (shudder)

    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    When Rehnquist retires, Scalia is the obvious choice, if the next chief justice is to come from the current court as expected. Seeing as how he was confirmed 98-0 to be an associate justice, this makes our situation problematic.

    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#6)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Scalia
    Yeah, Bush has no shame so there's no reason he wouldn't select the guy that selected him president in 2000.

    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    It will be Ted Olson. Olson is as rabid as they come. He was one of the prime movers behind all the Clinton "scandals" and is a serious right wing nutbag. If he gets nominated to the court, dems will have to filibuster cause Olson is just plain nasty crazy. (but other than that, he's ok)...

    Re: Potential Supreme Court Nominees (none / 0) (#8)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    wool is right. olsen is nuts. his wife was nuts, rest her soul. their fixation on bringing down the clintons reached the level of pathology. i hope the dems gets nasty with him, or whoever the nominee is when they are nom'd. fight. loud and brash and call people out. what, like the dems are gonna get a bad rep, bad pub, bad ratings if they put out the real fangs once in awhile? what they hell have they got going for them right now?

    Potential Supreme Court Nominees | 8 comments (8 topical)