Will Bush Put Someone Controversial On The Bench To Take The Focus Away From Rove?

[Gold9472]

I just heard someone mention it on Air America (Available on the YBBSRadio), and it sounded like something they would do. Thoughts?

[Uber Commandante]

I just heard someone mention it on Air America (Available on the YBBSRadio), and it sounded like something they would do. Thoughts?

Bush to Meet with Some Supreme Court Candidates
Reuters

Monday 18 July 2005

Washington - President Bush said on Monday he will meet face-to-face with some of the possible nominees for a Supreme Court opening but that others in contention may not require interviews because he already knows them.

Republican sources said a decision was likely this week, but Bush said: "I'm going to take my time and I will be thorough and deliberate."

"My desire is to get this process moving so that someone will be confirmed -- whoever he or she is will be confirmed by October," he added during a joint press conference with the prime minister of India.

Asked if he had begun the interview process, Bush said, "I will sit down with some and talk to them face to face, those who I have not known already."

Bush volunteered that he already knew some of those under consideration. "I've got some people, perhaps in contention, that I've already spent time with, that I know... And so I don't need to interview those," he said.

The list of potential nominees includes Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a close Bush friend who is Hispanic. Another contender is former deputy attorney general Larry Thompson, who is black and has worked with Bush.

Top candidates from the appeals courts include John Roberts Jr. and J. Michael Luttig.

Among senators mentioned have been Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and John Cornyn of Texas. All are Republican.

A Republican strategist with close ties to the White House said Bush could announce his pick as early as Tuesday.

The strategist said the timing of an announcement had been moved up in part to deflect attention away from a CIA leak controversy that has engulfed Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove.

"It will happen any day," the strategist said of the Supreme Court decision, adding that the aim is to "change the subject" from Rove.

Bush brushed aside suggestions that he share his short-list with Senate leaders as proposed by Democrats.

"I, of course, am the person that picks the nominee and they get to decide whether or not the nominee gets confirmed. That's the way it has worked in the past; that's the way it's going to work in this administration," Bush said.