Informed Speculation

Longtime readers will remember the flurry of activity around here when we formed the Coalition of the Chillin’ in reaction to the uproar over the Gang of 14′s judicial compromise. Our argument then, and it remains so, was that the compromise was a huge win for the Republicans, because it basically set a very strict standard for a filibuster, and as we have seen, the filibuster has not been employed in the interim.

John Roberts has shown himself to be such an excellent nominee that he largely defused the fireworks Bush’s first Supreme Court nomination was expected to bring; now, the activists are already gearing up for nominee number two, a process that we can expect will be much more contentious. Here’s a good backgrounder on the possible choices in today’s New York Times; Roberts is so good he’s putting pressure on Bush to pick a nominee that’s at least in the same ballpark, and it’s also important that the nominee be able to withstand the intense heat that’s sure to follow. My own prediction? Priscilla Owen…

Also on the Chillin’ front, please welcome the latest member, legal redux. Thanks to Ryan James once again for keeping up the blogroll, and if you haven’t paid Ryan a visit lately, there’s no time like the present…