http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/3249175 Sandra Day O'Connor, high court's first woman, announces retirement Associated Press WASHINGTON — Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court and a key swing vote on issues such as abortion and the death penalty, said today she is retiring. O'Connor, 75, said she will leave before the start of the court's next term in October, or when the Senate confirms her successor. There was no immediate word from the White House on who might be nominated to replace O'Connor. It's been 11 years since the last opening on the court, one of the longest uninterrupted stretches in history. O'Connor's decision gives Bush his first opportunity to appoint a justice.
My wife will be very sad when she hears this. O'Connor has been her inspiration since before college.
This should be an interesting few months. This might not be Bush's last appointment, too, depending on the health of the Chief Justice. I hope they're smart about this because a fight can and will get very ugly.
http://apnews.myway.com//article/20050701/D8B2L5NO0.html "Possible replacements include Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and federal courts of appeals judges J. Michael Luttig, John Roberts, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Michael McConnell, Emilio Garza and James Harvie Wilkinson III. Others mentioned are former Solicitor General Theodore Olson, lawyer Miguel Estrada and former deputy attorney general Larry Thompson, but Bush's pick could be a surprise choice not well known in legal circles. Another prospective candidate is Edith Hollan Jones, a judge on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who was also considered for a Supreme Court vacancy by President Bush's father. "
what are the odds that Renquist follows? Oh Jesus we are in for it--the Supreme Court is about to move back to the stone-age if Bush gets two appointments...
Alberto Gonzales or Ted Olson would bring about a knock-down drag-out fight over their confirmation......
There isn't really a wide-spread support for abortion among the public. Yes, there would be an uproar from a lot of women groups AND it would be challenged over and over again until it's overturned. That would be my guess. Frankly, I don't mind conservative judges, what I do mind, however, are extremists and people with bad track records. If Bush is smart, he would appoint someone that the Democrats can't block, someone who isn't that well-known for his/her controversial decisions, that way he would get his confirmation through. However, if he attempts to give Gonzalez the nod for the vacancy, he will be in for a nasty, nasty fight on the Hill, and it would be for a good reason. I hope he appoints some unanimous conservative judge (probably will be a Hispanic) that the country won't be polarized over his/her appointment.
Bush has two choices, either he selects a moderate that both sides can agree on or he plays to his base, the wacky-theocons and picks an extereme right winger and we get to have a nasty drag out fight that will only hurt this country... the ball is in Bush's court, I really hope he doesn't f this up
this just isn't true, poll after poll shows that Americans want abortion to remain legal at least for the 1st trimester only around 15-18% want abortion outlawed under all circumstances
Justice O'Connor's resignation comes at a critical time, only 115 years after Sioux Indians were massacred by the U.S. military at the Battle of Wounded Knee.
Flamingmoe has commented on this and I totally agree that there is actually much wider support for keeping abortion legal than many realize. One of the successes of the right has been to paint a picture of larger support than they actually have on many of these social issues. From what I remember even polling among Republicans indicate that a majority of them are for keeping abortion legal.
