Chutzpah Squared

In a letter sent to Bush on Friday, Reid and Leahy attempt to ballyrag him into picking a nominee to their liking. Don't bet on it boys.

The extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Miers nomination make it even more important that Justice Sandra Day O’Connor be replaced by a mainstream nominee, not by an activist who would bring an ideological agenda to the Court. Interest groups are not entitled to an extra-constitutional veto over Supreme Court appointments. Justice O’Connor should only be replaced by someone who inspires respect across the political spectrum, as she did.

There are some potential nominees who would clearly fail this test. As before, we strongly urge you to refrain from nominating to the Supreme Court any of the handful of judicial nominees who were filibustered during the past four years, or any other similarly divisive candidate. Instead, we urge you to pick one of the many qualified mainstream women and minority candidates who can win widespread bipartisan support in the Senate and among the American people. We have privately offered you some thoughts in this regard, and remain willing to meet with you again to achieve consensus.