[But Nan Aron of the liberal Alliance for Justice said that Roberts's involvement] doesn't say anything about his judicial philosophy. ... a red herring meant to divide the right. |
[Liberal groups] have been allowed to determine the terms of the debate, ... We are pushing back. |
a problem for the liberal groups and senators who want to turn this into a spectacle. . . . When the media have other serious things to focus their attention on, they tend to spend less time and less ink on the tit-for-tat, he said/she said elements that frequently accompany a confirmation hearing. |
He doesn't bring any agenda. |
His poll numbers didn't slip in the last number of months because Democrats decided they didn't like him any more. The numbers slipped with Republicans and moderates. And my view is that this is the first day of the repair of that. |
I don't think that's in the president's character. Do you expect him to reject his conservative supporters? These are people the White House has built the entire administration around. |
I expect it to be rough. We're taking nothing for granted. I think he will be confirmed, but he will be confirmed because the Republicans have the [majority]. |
I think MoveOn sensed a 'NARAL moment' was upon them, |
I'd imagine it will be similar to last time. The president will say: 'What do you want us to know?' 'Are there any names you'd like to suggest?' or 'Do you especially oppose anyone?' But I don't think the president is going to tip his hand. |
I'm not sure that we really knew anything new about Michael Luttig from this case, |
If the left wants to argue that the president needs to be weaker when it comes to protecting this country from terrorist cells, I think that's the kind of debate where we probably won't have to say a whole lot to undercut their argument. |
It certainly sounds as if he's getting pulled into Chuck Schumer's demands for unprecedented specificity in case law. To discuss recent cases and controversies and to have the Senate attempt to reject or confirm nominees based on a checklist of how they would rule on individual cases is clearly an attack on the judiciary's independence. |
It is a rare instance of the base being displeased with a major decision of this president. |
It is sickening that some in Washington would politicize a national tragedy. |
Janice Brown ... is admired like no other among conservatives, and that counts, I'd love to have that fight. |