Multiple sources are confirming that President Bush tonight will nominate Federa; Appeals Court Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. Roberts has long been on conservatives' Supreme Court Dream Team.See the SCOTUS-Blog for Roberts' profile.
Judge Roberts believes that Roe should be overturned, arguing there is no support in the text, structure, or history of the Constitution for the legal reasoning of Roe.
Expect a nasty fight. And pray for justice and peace and orginalism to prevail.
Update: I'll posting random tidbits and info as I'm able.
One advantage Roberts has is that the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed him for the DC Circuit Seat in May of 2003. A ltter, signed by more than 150 members of the D.C. Bar--inluding Lloyd Cutler (who served as the White House Counsel to both Presidents Carter and Clinton) and Seth Waxman (who was President Clinton’s Solicitor General)--wrote::
“Although as individuals we reflect a wide spectrum of political party affiliation and ideology, we are united in our belief that John Roberts will be an outstanding Federal Court of Appeals Judge and should be confirmed by the United States Senate. He is one of the very best and most highly respected appellate lawyers in the Nation, with a deserved reputation as a brilliant writer and oral advocate. He is also a wonderful professional colleague, both because of his enormous skills and because of his unquestioned integrity and fair-mindedness.”
Jonathan Adler calls Roberts truly the "best available" nominee. "Setting aside ideology — and he has a sterling conservative reputation despite the relative lack of a paper trail — he is close to the Platonic ideal of what a Supreme Court nominee should be."
Roberts' wife has served as Executive Vice President for Feminists for Life.
Update: Hugh Hewitt:
A home run for the president, the SCOTUS, and for the United States.
Judge John Roberts may be the smartest lawyer I have known, and he combines that intellect with a graciousness and good humor that will make it hard for any except the most extreme ideolouges to oppose him. Here's his bio, but it cannot fully convey the great intellectual force which Justice Roberts will bring to the SCOTUS.
Peter Robinson:
A couple of decades ago in the Reagan White House, John Roberts and I had adjoining offices, and we've kept in touch, in a desultory way, ever since. What can I tell you about him? That he's one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Devout but light-hearted, a devoted husband, and the doting father of two adopted children.... We'll all have to wait for the slicing and dicing of John's legal work to form views of his judicial philosophy, but I can tell you from personal knowledge that what we have here is a thoroughly marvelous human being.
