Wednesday, July 20, 2005
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Reid leaves options open; Ensign ecstatic over nominee

WASHINGTON -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid issued a guarded response Tuesday to President Bush's nomination of federal appeals judge John G. Roberts Jr. to the Supreme Court.

"The president has chosen someone with suitable legal credentials, but that is not the end of our inquiry," Reid, D-Nev., said in a statement.

"The Senate must review Judge Roberts's record to determine if he has a demonstrated commitment to the core American values of freedom, equality and fairness," Reid said. "The nominee will have an opportunity to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and make his case to the American people."

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said Roberts is eminently qualified.

"I think it would be very difficult for the Democrats to filibuster this nominee," he said.

Reid's carefully worded statement seemed aimed at preserving Democrats' options in the upcoming debate over Roberts' nomination.

The statement did not include any of the fiery rhetoric Reid employed during the fight over the so-called "nuclear option" earlier this year. Reid had threatened to shut the Senate down if Republicans approved that option, which would have allowed using a simple majority instead of 60 senators to approve Bush's judicial nominees.

The nuclear option was averted when 14 senators reached an agreement that would allow filibusters of judicial nominees only under "extraordinary circumstances."

Earlier Tuesday, Reid suggested Bush wanted to move quickly to announce his Supreme Court nominee to divert attention from White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, who has been linked to the disclosure of a CIA agent's identity.

"It's interesting how the subject has changed from the White House administrative staff to the court today, isn't it?" Reid asked.

Asked if he thought the timing was deliberate, Reid said, "I don't know."

Ensign and other Republican senators were briefed Tuesday night by White House staff about Roberts and the upcoming confirmation process in the Senate.

"Both of President Clinton's nominees took an average of 58 days to confirm, and over the last 30 years, the average has been 72 days," Ensign said. "Between now and October 3 (when the Supreme Court begins a new session), we should have plenty of time to get (Roberts) through."