Judge John Roberts Watch: Confirmation Hearings Day 3

Chief Justice nominee John Roberts (L) shares a light moment with Senator Joseph Biden (D-DEL) during a break in Roberts’ Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 14 , 2005. During yesterday’s session, Roberts declined to say if he would reverse the long-standing decision legalizing abortion but said he believed the Constitution accorded Americans the right to privacy, the key underpinning of the landmark ruling.

The Washington Post has Roberts Says He’ll Decide Cases by Law.

Chief Justice nominee John Roberts said Wednesday that the law, not his own personal views, would be his guide in deciding right-to-die cases that might come before the Supreme Court.

At the same time, Roberts stopped short of providing his specific views on the issue _ as he has steadfastly done on other contentious subjects in three days of confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. That left Democrats chafing.

“We are rolling the dice with you judge,” said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., who made no headway in extracting Roberts’ personal feelings about when to decide to end life supports for an ailing family member.

Senator Slow Joe Plagiarist Biden would not be happy with any Republican nominee to the court. His ploding drudge of long-winded rhetoric is an embarassment to the United States Senate.

Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate made it clear that President Bush’s choice was on a smooth path toward confirmation to a lifetime job, and they challenged Democrats who might oppose Roberts’ nomination to be the nation’s 17th chief justice.

“If people can’t vote for you, then I doubt that they can vote for any Republican nominee,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

A persistent Biden sought Roberts’ opinion on whether any law could trump the right to die, but the nominee would say little more than his oft-repeated response that it would be inappropriate to comment on a case that he might decide.

“There are cases that come up exactly in that context … before the court,” Roberts said. “I will confront them with an open mind. They won’t be based on my personal views. They will be based on my understanding of the law.”

What more does the Senate want?

Judge Roberts is an excellent choice for Chief Justice.

The Senate Judiciary Committee should spare the country more rhetorical largess of Senators lhogging television time but saying NOTHING…….vote him out of committee, let the Senate confirm him and let Roberts get started for the first Monday in October.

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