Bush Chooses John Roberts as Next U.S. Chief Justice

by reposted

Mon, Sep 5, 2005 7:45AM

U.S. President George W. Bush, acting only two days after the death of William H. Rehnquist, said he will nominate federal appeals court Judge John G. Roberts Jr. to be the nation's 17th chief justice.

Roberts, 50, was in line to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, with Senate confirmation hearings scheduled to begin tomorrow. Bush instead will pick a new nominee for that seat.

``Both those who've worked with him and those who have faced him in the courtroom speak with admiration of his striking ability as a lawyer and his natural gifts as a leader,'' Bush said from the Oval Office in Washington with Roberts at his side. ``Judge Roberts has earned the nation's confidence.''

In announcing Roberts's nomination so quickly -- two days before Rehnquist's funeral -- Bush said he hoped the Senate would confirm him before the formal start of the Supreme Court's term on Oct. 3.

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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=anUq563c3qLQ&refer=top_world_news

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§Bush Nominates Roberts to Replace Rehnquist as Chief Justice

by Democracy Now (reposted)

Tue, Sep 6, 2005 8:07AM

With the eyes of the nation firmly focused on the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, there have been major developments in the battle over the future of the Supreme Court with the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and President Bush's decision to nominate John Roberts to replace him. We speak with Bruce Shapiro of The Nation and Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights. With the eyes of the nation firmly focused on the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, there have been major developments in the battle over the future of the Supreme Court. Last weekend, the ailing Chief Justice, William Rehnquist, passed away leaving a vacancy at the helm of one of the 3 branches of the government.

President Bush moved quickly in naming his desired replacement for Rehnquist: Judge John Roberts - the man Bush had already selected to fill Sandra Day O'Connor's seat. The 50-year-old Roberts had been set to face Senators this week in what was expected to be a highly confrontational confirmation hearing. Senators have just postponed that process. The Supreme Court now has two vacancies giving President Bush major power to shape its political composition for decades to come.

* Bruce Shapiro, contributing editor for The Nation and a national correspondent for Salon.com.
* Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

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http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/06/149245

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