Redstate

By Tex Whitley Posted in User Blogs — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Senator Specter says President Bush does not have a mandate... Wolf in sheep's clothing, Senator Arlen Specter, is quoted in several articles today saying that Bush should not nominate any judiciary candidates who are pro-life.

Following are excerpts from a Philadelphia Inquirer story, where not only does Specter threaten Bush's authority to appoint conservative judges, but he also insult the conservatives currently on the court.

Specter, as presumptive chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, suggested that he would block any Bush nominee to the Supreme Court who opposed abortion rights.

Barring unforeseen GOP objections, Specter, 74, should assume the committee chairmanship in January. He also sent an unsubtle message to the White House that he expects nominees for the federal bench to be of the highest caliber, and took a critical swipe at the stature of the current court.

At a news conference less than 12 hours after winning a record fifth Senate term, Specter wasted no time in asserting himself.

"If you have a race that is won by a percent or two, you have a narrowly divided country, and that's not a traditional mandate," he said. "President Bush will have that very much in mind."

"The number-one item on my agenda is to try to move the party to the center," Specter said.

Specter's comments on judicial appointments were what conservatives feared - that despite receiving the President's help during the primary to overcome a conservative challenger, Specter would hold firm to his centrist principles with court nominees.

This AP story has even more quotes from Specter.

Excerpts

"When you talk about judges who would change the right of a woman to choose, overturn Roe v. Wade, I think that is unlikely," Specter said, referring to the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.

"The president is well aware of what happened, when a number of his nominees were sent up, with the filibuster," Specter added, referring to Senate Democrats' success over the past four years in blocking the confirmation of many of Bush's conservative judicial picks.

I'm reminded again why Toomey should have won the primary.