ConfirmThem

O'Scannlain/Souter clerk, now there's a combo! ;)

I have read where Souter chooses clerks soley on personality, and never asks them a 'legal' question during interviews.

Which is apparently what Bush 41 did at Souter's interview! No legal questions asked - how else to explain how a flaming liberal activist was selected over Ken Starr and Edith Jones?

Ok, here's my strategy for replacing AGAG. Gonzales resigns, Bush replaces him with John Cornyn with the promise from the Dem senators he is confirmed on the 5th Circuit at the end of Bush's term. Then Gov. Perry replaces Cornyn with Ted Cruz as senator.

I doubt he leaves his comfy Senate seat for the 5th circuit....SCOTUS, maybe.

support left for AGAG. I don't know if he thinks it'll go away, or if he's waiting to leave on his own terms in a few weeks.

I guess Ted Olson wouldn't be interested. What with his activity with Rudy and all. Cornyn might be prevailed upon to take Matthew F.'s suggestion.

I don't know the potential candidates for AG. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) is doing an outstanding job on the House judiciary committee. But since he's not an attorney, he probably wouldn't be nominated or confirmed. Will he run for Senate in 08?

Either Chris Cox or Miguel Estrada would an excellent choice to replace Alberto Gonzales.

Bobo,

Why could they not bring back Larry Thompson, who had been a deputy Attorney General under Ashcroft? Does Dubya have a problem with him?

Why is he not a possibility?

Although I would not want Thompson as a SCOTUS nominee (supposedly he is not a committed conservative), I would have no problem with him as Attorney General. I am not currently aware of any problem the White House may have with him.

I suggest Cox and Estrada because I have repeatedly heard how intelligent both are. In general, my favorite is Cox because he has a proven conservative track record in the House of Representatives.

All the editorials and op/eds seem to be stridently against the recent abortion decision. The couple supportive articles aren't even really defending the decision per se, more just saying this decision isn't as big a deal as its opponents say.

Conservatives ought to start using their op/ed space to defend it.

Were the liberals this shrill when the law was passed in 2003??? I'm quite curious. Or, realizing it's SCOTUS that matters in this area, have they waited until this point to really explode.

As for Kevin Newsom, definitely someone to keep an eye on, and I wish him all the best.

As for AG, Cox would be good.

Cox or Estrada or Thompson get confirmed by the Senate as currently constituted? Would Bush need to recess appoint one of them? AG would certainly be a doable/common sense recess appt., unlike most judicial positions.

Just like when Gates replaced Rumsfeld, the Dems will gladly replace Gonzales. Remember Gates had been involved in some scandal under Bush I but the Dems didn't really pursue it because they desperately wanted Rumsfeld gone.

really think so, Bobo? Cox and Estrada aren't that popular with Sen. Dems. Granted, the CIA guy seemed to swim through pretty smoothly--even in full uniform!

Estrada may have some trouble getting confirmed -- I doubt he's in the running, anyway. Cox may get some opposition, but I think he'd get confirmed fairly easily. He'll unify the GOP. Thompson should get confirmed with ease.

First, there is absolutely no reason for Ted Cruz to be
the next Republican Senatorial nominee in Texas. The next nominee should be a person who stands before the electorate and wins the majority of the Republican electorate. There is little reason to believe he would win. If he wants to be Senator, plan on electing him, not annointing him.

Second, Cornyn just might prefer being in the Senate.

Third, the special election is so soon the annointment won't have much effect.

The country was has a continuous leftward drift precisely because both the liberal and conservative movements have leaders that are far to the left of their respective memberships. The country will only turn to the right when rank-and-file conservatives demand conservative leadership, and support conservative candidates.

Here is a good analysis of the pros and cons of the front runners:

http://www.epluribusmedia.org/features/2007/20070325_gonzales_replacemen...

nor should he. I'll eat my hat if he does. Bush should offer Schumer a punch in the face before he offers him Gonzales' head on a silver platter.

But if he does, I'll put my money on Thompson as the replacement, if he's willing to leave PepsiCo (and contra BoBo's fears about his conservatism, one of the contributers here - Quin? feddie? - is quite convinced he's on our side, and that's good enough for me).

if he gets the job, he might have some valuable insight on Maureen Mahoney, since they were both at Latham & Watkins in the early to mid 80s, should a 3rd SCORUS vacancy arise.