I couldn't resist going with Clement even though it was still early & the news was unconfirmed. Clement was on record with a quote that seemed non-threatening to Roe v. Wade AND - after I came up with the headline - "Souter With a Uterus" - I couldn't resist . . .
And the nominee is . . . John Roberts
Salon War Room
We're to the point of not believing anything until we hear it straight from the president's mouth -- and more often than not, we don't believe it then either.
Earlier today, Edith Clement was a lock for the Supreme Court. Then she wasn't. Then it was Edith Jones. Then it wasn't. Washington reporters were said to be pulling histories on John Roberts, then they weren't. One source told Raw Story that George W. Bush had decided on Jones, bluffed with Clement, and then was forced to scramble even today as the White House turned up a problem of some sort in Jones' background.
Perhaps there was more "wishful (than critical) thinking" goin' on in journalistic circles and infecting the middle-to-left end of the blogosphere. Over on the right, Michelle Malkin and Red State blog were poised to attack. Even Right Wing News Blog was grumping, "Let's hope not ... If you want evidence that Clement wouldn't be another Scalia or Thomas, just know that she has previously made it clear that she would not overturn Roe v. Wade ..."
Where has John Roberts been during all these weeks of speculation concerning a replacement for O'Connor? "Under the radar" - as "they" say.
IF the timing of the announcement was calculated in order to knock the Rove story off the front pages - it doesn't seem to have worked . . .
Good fortune ...
