Bush said lobbying won't affect him: "I feel no pressure except the pressure to put somebody on the bench who will bring dignity to the office, somebody who's got the intellect necessary to do the job, somebody of great integrity and somebody who will faithfully interpret the Constitution."This makes me wonder: if conservatives ramp up the case against Gonzales, will it actually make Bush more likely to nominate him now or in the future?
He cautioned against a partisan war. "I would hope that the groups involved in this process — the special-interest groups — will help tone down the heated rhetoric and focus on the nominee's credentials and philosophy," he said.
I think it's a shame that we're even in this position. A judicial nomination shouldn't be a big political deal and wouldn't be if the courts had not arrogated so much power to themselves. The judiciary should be the least controversial branch. But that's a two-way street.
UPDATE: 23:34, Jay Rosen is dismayed at all the back-and-forth from all the interest groups, and at the press for using the whole fight as another means to try and portray its political neutrality. I agree, though I wonder, might Jay be doing the very same thing by decrying both the interest groups and the press?
UPDATE 7/16, 14:10: Rosen responds to my request for clarification and admits he "has a dog in the fight." I expected he would which is one reason he's one of my favorite bloggers. Too bad the elite press can't take a class from him.
