CNS News - "Sound and Fury" Over Supreme Court Nominee Roberts Moves to Grassroots Level

August 15, 2005
by Randy Hall, Staff Writer/Editor

(CNSNews.com) - The debate over the confirmation of Justice John Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court has moved from Washington insiders to the grassroots level, while objections to his nomination are seen as "sound and fury, signifying nothing," one analyst said.

Regardless of how imaginative groups on each side of the issue become, their efforts may have very little impact on the final outcome, Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told Cybercast News Service.

"Roberts is almost universally acknowledged to be well qualified and even a brilliant lawyer," Sabato said. "I can't think of a person less likely to have hidden scandals" than the nominee, who "just doesn't seem the type, though you never know for sure."

Barring some massive revelation during the hearings, Roberts is virtually certain to be approved by a margin well above the 60 votes needed to prevent a filibuster, Sabato said.

Nevertheless, Sabato expects liberal groups to keep up their attempt to undermine Roberts, until the final vote. "My guess is we're going to see a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Liberal groups are seeking grassroots support through a variety of methods. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is asking people who want Roberts confirmed to state conclusively whether he'd vote to overturn Roe v. Wade to sign the online "Roe Call" petition.

Also, NARAL continues to oppose Roberts on two fronts. First, the person who collects the most signatures on a petition against the nominee by Monday, Aug. 15, could win a free trip to Washington, D.C., and a chance to meet NARAL President Nancy Keenan.

The second option is advertised as "not only effective - it's easy and fun!" On Saturday, Aug. 27, abortion rights supporters across the country are being asked to host Choose Justice House Parties, to spread the word about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' "anti-choice" record.

"Just invite 15 to 30 people over for cocktails and snacks, a barbeque or a potluck," the group's website states. "Set aside some time to talk about the Supreme Court and get people to take action. Pass out our petitions or help your friends to make phone calls to their senators on their cell phones."

Conservatives also have expanded their efforts outside the Beltway while Congress is on its summer break.

"As the senators have moved outside the Beltway, so have our efforts," Jessica Boulanger, spokeswoman for the conservative group Progress for America (PFA), told Cybercast News Service.

"We've really hit the ground running in the states," Boulanger said, noting that PFA is involved in a "major grassroots push" that involves 20 state coalitions "showing that there's a tremendous amount of support for confirming Judge Roberts."

The thousands of people in these coalitions "are speaking directly to the senators, encouraging them to have a fair hearing process, a fair confirmation process and a fair up-or-down vote," Boulanger added.

Those efforts will continue until Sept. 6, when hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee are scheduled to begin, Boulanger said.

However, PFA's involvement in the confirmation battle goes beyond its grassroots efforts. This past week, the group put out a TV and radio ad as "a direct response to what we viewed as a dishonest attack" by NARAL Pro-Choice America.

"The fact that we immediately launched a counterstrike really shows we feel strongly that NARAL was deceiving people with its ad," Boulanger said. Noting that the organization was withdrawing the ad, she remarked: "It looks like they've arrived at a similar conclusion."

Nevertheless, Boulanger said she expected Roberts to be the subject of further attacks.

"These extreme left organizations have been gearing up for many years in anticipation of a major showdown over the Supreme Court, and I don't think that they're going to let up anytime soon," Boulanger told Cybercast News Service.

However, "when we see a liberal special-interest group launch an unfair, baseless attack against John Roberts, we will respond accordingly," Boulanger added.

NARAL ad also drew fire from Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), who said NARAL's decision to pull the spot "clearly reflects the fact that the ad was not only factually flawed and without basis in fact -- but was totally ineffective as well."

Sekulow told Cybercast News Service that "a smear campaign based on untruths will not be tolerated," and the advertisement "ended up significantly helping us by putting other groups on notice they'd better be very careful what they do. Our groups are able to react very quickly."

As a result of that ad's backfiring and what he called "weak" objections by opponents who are "grasping at straws," Sekulow stated: "I think it's going very well for John Roberts' confirmation."

The ACLJ, a conservative organization that specializes in constitutional law, is working to support Roberts' nomination through efforts such as radio promotions, a petition drive, and working with members of the Judiciary Committee staff on the appropriate nature of questions to be asked during the upcoming hearings.