President Bush on Wednesday, while in Copenhagen, Denmark, said he will not use a "litmus test" on controversial issues -- including abortion and gay marriage -- when deciding on a nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor,... Reuters reports (Holland, Reuters, 7/6). O'Connor on Friday announced her resignation from the court, sparking a debate over abortion in the United States and the potential influence a new justice could have in deciding legal rights for abortion in the country (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 7/5). In choosing a replacement for O'Connor, Bush said he will assess each candidate's character and interests, adding, "I'll pick people who, one, can do the job and people who are honest, people who are bright and people who will strictly interpret the Constitution and not use the bench to legislate from" (Riechmann, AP/Yahoo! News, 7/6). During a joint news conference with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Bush also urged senators not to be swayed by special interest groups on both sides of the abortion issue, which he said are using the Supreme Court opening to raise money and advance their causes (Reuters, 7/6). Before leaving for Europe, where he is attending the Group of Eight summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, Bush indicated that he likely will not announce a nomination for the court for several weeks, but he reiterated that he hopes to have a new justice confirmed by the start of the Supreme Court's session in October, the Los Angeles Times reports (Chen, Los Angeles Times, 7/6). Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) on Tuesday said Senate Democrats are prepared to filibuster any nominee to the Supreme Court who opposes abortion rights, as established by the court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, the AP/North County Times reports (Norton, AP/North County Times, 7/5).
The Washington Post on Wednesday examined the role personal beliefs and ideology play in the nomination and confirmation of a Supreme Court justice (Baker/Babington, Washington Post, 7/6).
NPR's "Talk of the Nation" on Wednesday is scheduled to include a discussion of how the Supreme Court vacancy "adds gunpowder" to an "already fiery" debate over abortion rights in the United States (Conan, "Talk of the Nation," NPR, 7/6). The complete segment will be available online in RealPlayer after the broadcast.
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