Chief Justice Roberts

It’s not a big surprise that John Roberts was confirmed as Chief Justice despite the Republican Party’s recent woes. He’s dispassionate, thoughtful, and has an impeccable judicial record. I can’t even say that I’m upset about the 78-22 vote in his favor. Despite how much I hate the Bush administration, I have to say that in this case our President picked well.

After all, Roberts understands the concept of stare decisis when it comes to Roe v. Wade. And while I’m not a one-issue voter, a candidate’s stance on abortion rights is the first thing I look at when making up my mind.

Would I like a Chief Justice in the mold of a Ruth Bader Ginsburg? Absolutely. Am I going to get one with this administration? No fucking way. So in the absence of someone ultra-liberal, a decent conservative will have to do.

What remains to be seen is how Bush’s next judicial nominee will go over. His political capital has gone down even further since his selection of Roberts. He could select someone extremely conservative, forcing a very ugly and partisan battle in Congress in the hopes of energizing his base for the 2006 midterm. Or he could go for someone in the mold of Edith Clement. I believe the latter is the more likely choice, and the one that I would support.