RODNEY KING SMILES:

Senators Say Talks With Bush on Supreme Court Go Well (Bloomberg, 7/12/05)

President George W. Bush's first discussions with U.S. Senate leaders on filling a Supreme Court vacancy went well, according to the senators.

``I feel comfortable and good that we're going to be able to have someone that is a consensus candidate,'' Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada told reporters after the breakfast meeting with Bush at the White House.

``The consultative process is well underway,'' said Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. The senators said potential nominees were discussed but they refused to name them. Bush didn't say when he would announce a candidate, Reid said. [...]

Patrick Leahy of Vermont, ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee that will hold hearings on the nominee, told reporters he senses Bush will nominate someone who can be supported by ``a majority of Republicans and Democrats'' in the Senate.

Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said he planned to have the nominee confirmed by the full Senate by October, when the court's next term begins. ``We want to see to it that we don't have somebody so-called `hanging out there' too long,'' Specter said.

Specter said he plans to begin hearings in September, though ``we're retaining some flexibility'' that may mean hearings in late August, he said.

Can't ya feel the love?

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 12, 2005 12:35 PM