According to this ABC news column President Bush is doing what most presidents do in June: preparing for a possible surprise resignation from the Supreme Court.

The SCOTUS justices who might step down are Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens.

Justice Ginsburg has been said to not be in the best of health and has even fallen asleep on the bench this past year (I’ve been on juries where the judge usually sleeps through the trial) and Justice Stevens is getting on in years, so the speculation turns to them.

There may not be an opening in the Court, but most presidents prepare just in case there is.

Priscilla Owens and Janice Rogers Brown are on the short list, along with other less known candidates. Both Owens and Brown were filibustered for the judgeships they now hold, but now have records on a federal court to judge their positions.

If there is an opening, and that’s a big if, look for a dog fight like we haven’t seen in a long time in the Senate during any confirmation hearings, as this would definitely tip the Court to a conservative bent with four conservatives already there and Kennedy voting both ways on decisions.

That’s why I doubt either Ginsburg or Stevens will leave while this president is in office, if they can help it.

Written by ~J~

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