More on Roberts

Ann Coulter doesn't like out latest Supreme Court Nominee. "He's not conservative enough, and makes comparisons with Souter.



Carol Platt Liebau disagrees. So do I. Conservatives don't want to spend huge amounts of political capital without need on a confirmation fight. Roberts seems to be solidly right of center, bullet proof as far as allegations of competence or excessive ideology goes. He is clearly a brilliant legal mind, nor does he seem to be an extreme conservative. I consider it likely that having another brilliant legal mind on the center right may actually help Scalia stay away from excessively ideological positions, and give Thomas more room and ammunition to broker compromise decisions that nonetheless come down on the right side of the legal spectrum. This is a reason for conservatives to like him, and liberals to fear his influence. On the other hand, if liberals bite the president's outstretched hand on this one, the next nominee is likely to be someone they like a lot less. (HT: Captain's Quarters



Hugh Hewitt likes him as much as Powerline, and makes the point that nominees have refused to answer questions before



Iowahawk makes an effective point on the nature of the left wing opposition to Roberts. (HT: LGF)



On the left, Debate Link notes it could have been worse from that point of view and wonders about the minority/woman angle. I think it's fairly obvious that the President is expecting a pass on that issue here, not only because a 'racial spoils system' doesn't sit well with voters, but also because he has consistently named minority and woman nominees to various offices, even important posts, unlike his predecessors, and has included them in his innermost councils. This may be Bush saying "Nobody here is an affirmative action candidate."



Law, Life, Libido also writes a fairminded assessment from the left.



Beldar notes about Roberts' trial experience "if his only credential were the extraordinary number of cases he's personally argued and won in the Supreme Court as an advocate, that alone would probably be enough to qualify him for a seat on that bench!", aka the Thurgood Marshall Qualification.





Supreme Court John Roberts politics