That wise, reasonable, bipartisan judiciary committee member Orrin Hatch has a warning for Obama: don't nominate anyone who is not "highly qualified" to be on the Supreme Court.
“I can say if the president picks somebody who is clearly qualified, I think there’s no question we can get that person through in a relatively short period of time,” Hatch said. “I don’t see any problem if the person is highly qualified.”
Now, it’s true that Hatch also went on to warn that “if he picks an activist judge,” then Republicans “ought to do everything in our power to defeat that person.” This leaves Hatch some wiggle room to declare the pick unqualified on the grounds that he or she doesn’t grasp the proper role of a SCOTUS justice.
But what exactly does "qualified" mean to Sen. Hatch?
One of the Senate's senior conservatives, Republican Orrin Hatch, offered unconditional support Tuesday to Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers amid expressions of anxiety in some Republican quarters over her legal philosophy. The Utah Republican took on criticism that Miers has no experience as a judge and a largely unknown track record -- something that worries some conservatives. "A lot of my fellow conservatives are concerned, but they don't know her as I do," said Hatch, a former Judiciary Committee chairman. "She's going to basically do what the president thinks she should, and that is be a strict constructionist." Hatch said he already has decided to support her confirmation. "I don't need any more. I know her really well. And I intend to support her," he told reporters.
Good to know. All Obama has to do is find a Bush administration lackey and he'll have Hatch's approval. Did Alberto Gonzales ever find a job?