One of
Washington Post's May 25 major stories is
Bush Expected to Push for a Conservative and a sign that the Right is feeling stronger, not weaker, because of the compromise. Here's an excerpt:
Advisers said neither the deal brokered by Senate centrists nor Democratic opposition would change the president's calculus in picking the next justice. "He's not going to shy away," said a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no vacancy has been announced. "The Democrats can throw high and tight fastballs if they want, but it's not going to work."
And the promise of bipartisan harmony goes poof like smoke:
For all the appeals for bipartisan harmony, Bush is unlikely to nominate a consensus justice, and Democrats are unlikely to find his choice acceptable, current and former White House officials said. If Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who is ailing, retires at the end of the term as much of Washington expects, the officials said Bush is prepared to name a committed conservative regardless of Democratic opposition.
Or is the White House full of hot air?