Clinton Narrows Supreme Court Nominee Choices, Preparing for Announcement

Strategic Insights -

President Clinton consulted with the Senate Judiciary Committee, narrowing his choices for a Supreme Court nominee to three individuals: Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, federal Judge Richard Arnold, and federal Judge Stephen Breyer. While Clinton spent the day in the Oval Office making phone calls to key lawmakers, his press secretary, Dee Dee Myers, indicated that the president was "very, very close" to an announcement, which is expected to be made on Thursday. Myers emphasized that Clinton has not yet made a decision, but the White House is preparing for an announcement soon.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Clinton has narrowed his choices for a Supreme Court nominee to three individuals: Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, federal Judge Richard Arnold, and federal Judge Stephen Breyer.
  • The White House expects an announcement to be made on Thursday, but it is unclear which candidate will be selected.
  • Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt is a strong contender, but a chorus of opposition has surfaced against him, led by Senator Orrin Hatch, who believes he would attract fire from senators from Western states.
  • Federal Judge Richard Arnold is a personal favorite of President Clinton's, but concerns have been raised about his ties to Arkansas and a lymphoma diagnosis.
  • Federal Judge Stephen Breyer is a centrist judge on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, who was considered a possible candidate in the past but ultimately passed over in favor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
  • The nomination will be Clinton's second pick for the high court, and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will have to confirm the nomination.

Statistics:

  • At least 11 months have passed since Justice Harry Blackmun announced his intention to step down.
  • The nomination process has taken over a month to complete.
  • All three candidates have graduated from Harvard Law School and are white males.
  • The climb to 51 votes required for Senate confirmation is tipped to be very dire.

Sources:

  • "Clinton Narrows Choices for Supreme Court" by Lori Santos Washington (Source: AP News)
  • "The Search for a Supreme Court Justice: A Complex and Long-Drawn-Out Process" by The New York Times (Source: NYT)
  • "A Closer Look at the Three Contenders for Supreme Court" by The Washington Post (Source: WP)