Here's the core of what President Bush said following the announcement of Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Under the Constitution, I am responsible for nominating a successor to Justice O'Connor. I take this responsibility seriously. I will be deliberate and thorough in this process. I have directed my staff, in cooperation with the Department of Justice, to compile information and recommend for my review potential nominees who meet a high standard of legal ability, judgment and integrity and who will faithfully interpret the Constitution and laws of our country.As well, I will continue to consult, as will my advisors, with members of the United States Senate. The nation deserves, and I will select, a Supreme Court Justice that Americans can be proud of. The nation also deserves a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate, characterized by fair treatment, a fair hearing and a fair vote. I will choose a nominee in a timely manner so that the hearing and the vote can be completed before the new Supreme Court term begins.
Reuters described this as "a thinly veiled warning to the U.S. Senate not to block his choice." That's probably correct. The summer will almost certainly be a slugfest given O'Connor's key role as a "swing voter" on the court. The omniscient InstaPundit said earlier today:
O'Connor's, um, variable voting pattern means that if whoever replaces her is more consistent it will make a disproportionate difference. That also means that this fight is likely to be nastier than the fight over, say, a replacement for Rehnquist.
Aside from the political and legal implications is O'Connor's personal story. Many people don't know that she grew up on the Lazy B ranch in Arizona as a genuine cowgirl, eventually managing the ranch herself. She's even a member of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
Her Supreme Court opinions may have been controversial but no one could ever say she wasn't strong.
Posted by Alan at July 1, 2005 12:15 PM