Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service - Both Sides Come Out Swinging in Confirmation Battle

July 21, 2005
by By Emma Burgin and Cara Spaziani

WASHINGTON -- The day after President Bush announced his nomination of John G. Roberts Jr. for the Supreme Court, groups from both ends of the political spectrum cranked into high gear.

Those who supported Roberts' nomination prepared to push the vote swiftly through the Senate, while opposition focused on his undefined record on abortion rights. Roberts has been on the bench since 2003, serving on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

"There is no question in our minds that John Roberts would immediately vote the opposite direction than Sandra Day O'Connor," said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women.

Gandy said NOW is raising awareness mostly through e-mail alerts to what she sees as a threat to abortion rights. Roberts' stance on abortion is murky at best, without a public statement as to whether he would uphold Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that protects a woman's right to abortion.

Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org, said the liberal political action organization is raising money and awareness of Roberts' "hard right philosophy." The group is holding rapid-response events at shopping malls and schools to protest the nomination.

But Wendy Wright, senior policy director for Concerned Women for America, said her organization is preparing an e-mail alert that encourages support for Bush's nominee.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to explain to people what a proper judicial philosophy is, and why it's important to see Supreme Court justices as humble," she said.

She said although Bush did not choose a woman to replace O'Connor, her group is glad "Roberts is a man of impeccable credibility and high integrity."

But several organizations are getting more involved in the approval process, with the Family Research Council holding the second "Justice Sunday" in Tennessee in August to denounce the Supreme Court as hostile to religion and families and to show support for Roberts' confirmation.

"We're just very pleased with the selection," said James Dobson, chairman of the conservative Focus on the Family. "Most importantly we believe Judge Roberts will interpret the Constitution and not try to legislate from the bench, which has been the pattern in recent years."

The Southern Baptist Convention also was pleased with Bush's nomination, its president, Richard Land, said. He said in the coming weeks, his group would work to encourage the 16.3 million Southern Baptists - 84 percent of whom voted for Bush in 2004 - to contact their senators and let them know they support Roberts' confirmation.

The religious liberty advocacy group American Center for Law and Justice sent 900,000 e-mails immediately after Bush announced Roberts as his choice, urging ACLJ supporters to sign a petition in support of the judge. About 15,000 people already have signed the petition, ACLJ said.

But not every organization is rushing to take a position on Roberts, who Bush wants approved before the high court convenes in October.

Hank Cox, vice president of media relations for National Association of Manufacturers, said his organization formed an impromptu committee of 10 senior general counselors from top corporations to discuss the nomination.

The committee will confer Thursday on whether Roberts is an appropriate choice for the Supreme Court. "We will not have anything to say until after the meeting," Cox said. "But discussion will be based upon whether this is a justice who interprets the law instead of creates it."