BERGEN COUNTY RIGHT TO LIFE

Bush to pick Supreme Court Judge

On 7/6/2005, President Bush elaborated on the kind of person he will choose to be the

next justice on the Supreme Court, replacing outgoing Justice Sandra Day O`Connor, who voted to uphold abortion in a 1992 decision and to overturn partial-birth abortion bans in 2000.

Abortion advocates are concerned that the 1973 decision legalizing abortion (Roe v. Wade) could be overturned if President Bush replaces O’Connor with a pro-life jurist. In reality, a change of two votes is necessary to take the court from its current 6-3 pro-Roe majority to a 5-4 majority in favor of overturning the infamous abortion case.

As he has in the past, Bush said he would not have a litmus test for a judge, but pro-life groups expect him to pick a pro-life nominee. "I`ll try to assess their character, their interests," Bush said. "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…”

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a longtime friend of Bush, is often mentioned as a potential nominee for the high court, but pro-lifers are not convinced Gonzales is pro-life.

Bush has said that he will conduct final interviews himself after narrowing down a short list of final possibilities. An intense political battle will ensue once Bush names a nominee in the coming weeks. He hopes to have a new justice confirmed by the time the Supreme Court reconvenes for its next term in October.