Let The Fight Begin

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush has the rare opportunity to name two justices to the U.S. Supreme Court after the death Saturday of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

"It will serve the best interest of the nation to fill those vacancies promptly," Bush said in a brief message in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

The president said he would move quickly to nominate a "highly qualified" chief justice but offered no clues Sunday as to his choice.

Perhaps I should rephrase that title. Let the fight begin in earnest. :-) Now that President Bush has the rare opportunity to fill 2 vacancies (from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement, and the passing of Chief Justice Rehnquist) to the country's highest court, there will surely be much "blood-letting" from all interests groups. Conservatives and liberals.

It will be quite the spectacle, I'm sure. My only hope is that the Republicans act the majority that they are in Congress, and not yield to the demands of the opposition. The rule of the game is, the President gets to name his choices, and Congress gets to vote on them. Vote on the merits of the nominees. No filibustering, no stalling. Just an up or down vote on the nominees.

With so much at stake for those who like to have laws legislated from the bench, I doubt there will be much civility in the whole process. One can only hope.