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Musical chairs, anyone?

By Last Night in Little Rock, Section Supreme Court
Posted on Sat Sep 03, 2005 at 09:28:43 PM EST
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posted by Last Night in Little Rock

Pat Robertson, of the 700 Club, who fervently prayed for vacancies on the Supreme Court, when not asking the government to assassinate a foreign president, got his prayer answered on Saturday night with the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

It was not the vacancy he was hoping for.

Now the game of musical chairs begins. Justice Antonin Scalia, appointed by Reagan in 1986 will undoubtedly move to Chief. He's a known quantity, so confirmation by the Republican Senate will be quick.

Who, then, to replace Scalia?

Hopefully, President Bush's plummetting poll numbers will temper the choice for his next appointment. With luck, Republicans worried about 2006 and being pulled down by Bush's gross mishandling of the Katrina aftermath may not be in Bush's pocket anymore. The power of "advice and consent" in Art. II, § 2, cl. 2 of the Constitution, is, after all, a political power as noted here and here. Remember "Borking" or "to be Borked"? That's how Scalia got there.

We can hope for conciliation. Whether we'll get it is another thing.

I noticed that Bush seemed a little humbler today on CNN talking about Katrina relief, halfway admitting that he's screwed up (at least that was my perception from body language and reading between the lines). Let us hope for more.

< Chief Justice William Rehnquist Has Died | Permalinks for Katrina News Articles >

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    • Musical chairs, anyone? | 3 comments (3 topical)
    Re: Musical chairs, anyone? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Kitt on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    Who was he 'aiming' for - Scalia?

    Re: Musical chairs, anyone? (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    I don't care for either Scalia or Thomas, the two most likely to be considered for CJOUS. Scalia makes Jesse Helms look like a left-winger, and Thomas forgot he was black somewhere along the line. If Bush is listening--cause he's already proven he doesn't have the smarts--pick someone not already on the court and make them CJOUS.

    Re: Musical chairs, anyone? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    I bet a certain guy whose first name starts with a B is grinning ear to ear right now. Oh, but wait, there's a tragedy.

    Musical chairs, anyone? | 3 comments (3 topical)