SCOTUS WATCH: A NEW JUSTICE Nominated Tomorrow?

Michelle Malkin has SCOTUS PICK: WHO WILL IT BE?

Fox News reporting tonight that the White House will announce its SCOTUS pick tomorrow.

The Washington Post has Bush May Name New Court Nominee on Monday

Real Clear Politics has a round-up of SCOTUS vacancy news (see right sidebar).

SCOTUS Blog looks at front-runners.

Reuters/WaPo on Alito and Luttig.

The Prowler hears it will be Judge Samuel Alito. So does Erick at Confirm Them.

Todd Zywicki hears Luttig, and and also points to Ideoblog’s analysis of Alito’s business and commercial law jurisprudence.

Patterico takes a closer look at Alito’s dissent in Casey.

Hugh Hewitt supports Luttig and underscores his War on Terror rulings. More background here.

Flap has his choices SCOTUS WATCH: LUTTIG vs. ALITO? and SCOTUS Watch: A NEW Short List.

Reuters has Luttig, Alito contenders as Bush mulls court pick.

President George W. Bush on Saturday was narrowing his choices of Supreme Court nominees to replace Harriet Miers as Republicans said the short list consisted of highly credentialed, solidly conservative judges.

Among the candidates most talked about were appeals court judges Michael Luttig and Samuel Alito. Bush, who is spending the weekend at his Camp David retreat, was expected to unveil his choice within days.

A source close to the selection process who spoke on condition of anonymity said avoiding a battle with Democrats, who have warned Bush about picking a right-wing activist, would not be the president’s top priority.

“What we know from the Miers nomination is that people on all sides of the political spectrum wanted the highest quality, and that’s what the president will deliver,” the source said.

“I think it will be extremely difficult for Senate Democrats to oppose someone who is extraordinarily well qualified and who shares the president’s judicial philosophy,” the source added.

Previously on Flapsblog, SCOTUS Watch: A NEW Short List.

Samuel Alito, a 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge from Philadelphia.

J. Michael Luttig of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, considered one of the most conservative judges on the federal bench.

Luttig, 51, a judge on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, worked as a clerk for Scalia when Scalia was an appeals court judge.

He helped in the effort to get Thomas and Supreme Court Justice David Souter — both nominated to the high court by Bush’s father — confirmed by the Senate. Luttig also has worked in the Justice Department and private practice.

Alito, 55, is sometimes given the nickname “Scalito” — a comparison to Scalia, who shares his Italian heritage as well as his reputation for conservatism and a strong intellect. He is a judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.

Both men are fine judges on the federal court of appeals.

President Bush could not go wrong with either of them.

In addition to Luttig and Alito, Bush is also said to be looking at appeals court judges Michael McConnell, Edith Jones and Alice Batchelder.

Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown are also possibilities, although the two judges — who were named to the appellate court by Bush — were initially blocked by Senate Democrats before making it through on a compromise deal.

Flap handicaps the following choices in order of probability:

1. Samuel Alito

2. J. Michael Luttig

3. Priscilla Owen

4. Janice Rogers Brown

5. Michael McConnell

6. Edith Jones

All six of these judges would make excellent nominees for the Supreme Court.

Stay Tuned…….

Update #1

Knowing the President likes surprises Flap is mentioning another great judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, Sixth CircuitAlice Moore Batchelder.

Flap still thinks it will be Alito but with President Bush you never know……….

Stay tuned………