Reid suggests Republican lawmakers for high court

[mom cat]

Reid suggests Republican lawmakers for high court By Thomas Ferraro
16 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050628/pl_nm/congress_judges_dc

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid suggested on Tuesday that four of his Republican colleagues be considered by President Bush if a vacancy occurs on the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Seeking a possible consensus nominee, Reid recommended Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mel Martinez of Florida, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Mike Crapo of Idaho.

Reid described them all as bright and able lawyers who would be strong additions to the nation's highest court.

"We have had approximately 10 members of the Supreme Court that came from the United States Senate over the years," Reid told reporters.

[Occulus]

1. NO to Graham. NO to Martinez.

They are from suspect states. They CANNOT judge fairly.

[OKNancy]

2. Actually Graham wouldn't be so bad

since it has to be a Republican.
One thing I have observed about him is that he is a stickler for the law. I hated that trait during the impeachment hearings, but that was his main point...the law.

I do like how he went against the administration on Abu Garib.

We won't have too many problems as long as we get a justice who will respct the law and abide by it.

[mom cat]

3. And the loss of one Republican senator would help!

[jaysunb]

17. Plus , he could be the first

" out of the closet justice " :evilgrin:

[Island Blue]

8. I don't think it's fair or necessarily true to say

that just because someone is from a "suspect state" (which by that I suppose you mean red) that they can't judge fairly. There is a difference between pleasing your constituents as a senator and reading and interpreting the Constitution as a SC Justice. I would hope someone from a red state would be able to do that just as well as someone from a blue state.

I think the important thing is that Reid has made some suggestions as to who would be palatable to the Democrats, signaling that whacked out far-right wing nominees will not be acceptable. This way, Shrub Co. can't say Democrats are just obstructionist and the party of "no".

[mom cat]

11. I think he just wrong footed dimson!

[Andromeda]

4. I never used to like Lindsey Graham...

but the last couple of years he has sounded (choke) reasonable.

Don't know much about the others though. I think Reid is going for a preemptive strike by recommending Repugs so he will be viewed as (ahem) non-partisan (heh, heh, heh).

Good strategy, if it works. Anything to keep the extremists off the court.

[5thGenDemocrat]

15. Plus, he's a step up on Strom Thurmond

Lindsey Graham is NOT on my short list of Republican shitheads -- high praise coming from me.
John
Hey, does anybody here remember Strom Thurmond? Boy, was he a piece of work.

[AlCzervik]

5. Graham is probably the least of those evils but really they all suck

pretty hard.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

6. Another Great Move by Reid

This makes us look like the reasonable folks that we are, while painting the inevitable RW nutjob who Bush nominates as the sad, political payoff to the RW that he is. And it will paint Bush as the polarizing fuck that he is.

AND it would get another Republican out of the Senate.

DTH

[TacticalPeek]

12. Sounds like a plan.

I find myself always hoping for someone on our side to look at the lay, think things through, and execute a strategy for success; then, repeat.


http://www.securingamerica.com/?q=node/184

[WhiteTara]

14. just what we need...a political judge

who can never be removed except in death.
:puke:

[neuvocat]

19. Glad you see it that way.

I just don't know what to think otherwise.

[hang a left]

7. Curious....

Must be a rumour on the Hill. Maybe there is a retirement after all.

[ToeBot]

9. A name conspicuous by its absence: Orrin Hatch

I may have to cut Reid some slack if he recognizes how horribly unfit, his fellow Mormon, Orrin Hatch really is.

[whalerider55]

10. hmmmm....

open up a senate seat in Ohio (when is Dewine up for re-election, would we want the leave an interim appointment to Taft... yeah, anyone appointed by Taft would be suspect...)

Martinez... personally, i think he's a thug, and it would allow Jeb to appoint a replacemnt... but he would represent the first hispanic on the court, and here he is being reccomended by Reid when the president's list (flfoated over the last several weeks looks like a bunch of white guys)

Graham... well, he's certainly been a disappointment to Rove- his impeachment involvement dismays me (where is he now when impeachable offenses are occurring right under his nose)

Don't know crapo...

the thing is this...
i believe that the power of both the constitution and the responsibilities of beikng a justice can encourage intellectual and moral growth. I think of Douglas, and Hugo Black, and David Souter and even Anthony Kennedy. There has to be some spark there to begin with (I seriously doubt it is there with Martinez, based on his proximity to * and Jeb for much of his political career).

I guess i'd have the greatest hope for Graham.

whalerider

[Liberty Belle]

16. True, and let's not forget Warren Berger, who was also

appointed by a Republican president and swung the court far to the left.

[Orangepeel]

18. I don't know what Martinez would be like without a master

Until bush picked him for HUD, everybody thought he was a moderate. He was president of the trial lawyers association before he entered politics, and, apparently, wasn't a nutcase when he was chair (mayor) of Orange County.

Of course, once he decided to hitch his ambitious wagon to bush, he became as neo-con as neo-con could. But, frankly, I don't know what he'd be like if he didn't have anywhere up to go.

He wouldn't be my first (or second or eightieth) choice, but I wouldn't bet my life that he'd continue to be a thug.

[WhiteTara]

13. he is so grateful for his KY jelly victory

he is bending over voluntarily because Rove promised him that it would never be a dry F
:puke:

[brentspeak]

20. I could live with Graham

And it's funny to see Bush supporters on other sites get all angry because Reid suggested Republicans! They know this is a smart move on his part.

[derbstyron]

21. Absoultely NOT for Martinez (from a Floridian)

He is a viper who will say or do anything to get elected.

He lied about Castor, His D opponent in the race, and he even shamlessly turned on Bill McCollum in his own R primary, sending inflammatory statements re: McCollum and homsexuals to pander the Jesus Freak crowd.

And then, when called out on it, he blamed it on staff members, something he continues to do. If you are going to be an asshole at least admit your one.

As the saying goes, if I saw him on fire in the street I wouldn't....uh, spit on him (or anything else).

Bastard..

[ArnoldLayne]

22. Graham or DeWine wouldn't be that bad