ConfirmThem

By Erick Posted in SCOTUS — Comments () / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

"Shell shocked," "confused," "stumbling," "full of doubt." These are all words I have heard used to describe the current White House effort to find Sandra Day O'Connor's replacement. Batchelder, Williams, and Owen have all been interviewed, but the process continues to sputter along.

Several have told me not to buy into the Miers trial balloon. It is, I'm told, just that -- a trial balloon. Another tells me, "The President wants Gonzales. That's what is dragging this thing out. They're sending out people to say he is conservative as if by telling us that enough we will say, 'sure, he really is one of us.' That is not going to happen."

The process is still moving. Those I have talked to in the past twenty-four hours tell me we should expect a minority or woman. The odds are that it will be a woman. Sykes's name has gotten little play in the past twenty-four hours and Luttig's name has gotten none. Larry Thompson's name continues to surface. One person disputes all my sources and tells me that Thompson, not Clement, was the almost pick last time.

The jury is still out on the nominee. Says one from a phone call this morning, "The White House has gone into second guess mode. They want another Roberts, an enigma who will slip through and turn out to be a conservative. They are second guessing their picks. That, I would think, increases the chances of a Thompson or a Gonzales -- someone the President's gut tells him is conservative. My gut tells me we have to keep the pressure on or we're [screwed]."

Just as I was finishing, a friend close to the White House called to say that we may hear an announcement soon. My own suspicion is that we may see the White House attempt to take attention away from Judith Miller's testimony by making an announcement. If it is rushed, I think we will wind up with a Gonzales, a Miers, or a Thompson.

The situation is fluid, very fluid. The White House source does say that Batchelder and Williams are in play.

[UPDATE] Told reliably there will be no announcement today.