Posted 9:26 AM by steve

It's not just the Democrats Bush has to be concerned with as he considers who to pick for the second Supreme Court seat... he's got to worry about the soft Republicans, in particular the 7 in the Gang of 14, who will be looking to oppose Bush's next nominee in order to burnish their 'moderate' credentials....

While Senate Democrats looking to run for President have to worry about coming across as 'too Democratic', the Senate Republicans wishing to move up worry about being seen as 'too Republican'... and there will be no better way for them to show their independence (and pick up brownie points from the NYT and WaPo) than to declare their opposition to Bush's next pick.

In a way, Bush will only have himself, and ironically, Roberts, to blame for this situation. Roberts has done such a good job that no one, I repeat no one, can follow in his footsteps. Whomever Bush nominates will suffer in comparison, which will give all of those who have grudgingly given their approval to Roberts the opportunity to redeem their liberal credentials by opposing the next pick.... no matter who it is.

Given this, I wonder if the best strategy wouldn't be for Bush to offer up a sacrificial lamb to the Democrats and soft Republicans, then after that nomination is defeated (or filibustered, as Patterico predicts will happen) coming back with the nominee Bush would really like to see on the Court...

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