John Roberts
I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- Steve Chapman is right on. This morning he correctly assesses (for the most part), the selection and upcoming confirmation of John Roberts to the Supreme Court.
From the point of view of the Senate's Republicans, the confirmation hearings will solely be about lauding the characteristics of the nominee. For Senate Democrats, the confirmation hearings will be a non-stop effort to pin the nominee down on his views on specific issues. For Roberts, the confirmation hearings will consist entirely of accepting the former and avoiding the latter -- both of which will be easily done.
Chapman errs, however, in raising the possibility of Roberts confounding expectations once he reaches the high court. Everyone's expectation is that he will be as reactionary as his patron, and that is exactly what he will be.
I had hoped that Bush might take the opportunity to appoint Michael Luttig who, while certainly cut from the same ideological cloth as Roberts, at least seems to have a streak of intellectual openness that the next Justice shows no evidence of having.
In the end, Roberts looks like Bush, has the same background as Bush, and believes exactly the same things as Bush -- and that's enough to get the job.
From the point of view of the Senate's Republicans, the confirmation hearings will solely be about lauding the characteristics of the nominee. For Senate Democrats, the confirmation hearings will be a non-stop effort to pin the nominee down on his views on specific issues. For Roberts, the confirmation hearings will consist entirely of accepting the former and avoiding the latter -- both of which will be easily done.
Chapman errs, however, in raising the possibility of Roberts confounding expectations once he reaches the high court. Everyone's expectation is that he will be as reactionary as his patron, and that is exactly what he will be.
I had hoped that Bush might take the opportunity to appoint Michael Luttig who, while certainly cut from the same ideological cloth as Roberts, at least seems to have a streak of intellectual openness that the next Justice shows no evidence of having.
In the end, Roberts looks like Bush, has the same background as Bush, and believes exactly the same things as Bush -- and that's enough to get the job.
posted by dgags @ 5:24 PM
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