Instapundit quotes Jeffrey Rosen of the New Republic writing:
Top of his class at Harvard Law School and a former law clerk for Rehnquist, Roberts is one of the most impressive appellate lawyers around today. Liberal groups object to the fact that, in 1990, as a deputy solicitor general, Roberts signed a brief in a case involving abortion-financing that called, in a footnote, for Roe v. Wade to be overturned. But it would be absurd to Bork him for this: Overturning Roe was the Bush administration’s position at the time, and Roberts, as an advocate, also represented liberal positions, arguing in favor of affirmative action, against broad protections for property rights, and on behalf of prisoners’ rights. In little more than a year on the bench, he has won the respect of his liberal and conservative colleagues but has not had enough cases to develop a clear record on questions involving the Constitution in Exile.
Top of his class at Harvard Law School sounds a bit suspect to me, but if he is truly a strict constructionist, that would certainly be good news. Supreme Court justices are notoriously unpredictable, so any celebrating by conservatives would be premature, but it does appear that the President has at least avoided openly stabbing his base in the back again.
One Republican Insty reader, meanwhile, is rather less sanguine:
“What do I think of him? Beats me. Just searched his hearing transcripts on the right to bear arms and found nothing. How is he on federalism and other limits on government power? Beats me again.
Great. O’Connor with a penis. I’m supposed to be happy about this?
7 of the 9 Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republicans. 3 of them are acceptable, which shows you how incompetent Republicans are at choosing judges.
Frankly this conservative is completely underwhelmed. Bush might think he’s got some sort of mojo going on, but if Roberts doesn’t turn out to be a solid conservative, and not another O’Connor, then the GOP is screwed.
I know a lot of conservatives who have been adding up the support given, and lack of results received from the GOP. I’ve been asking a lot of conservatives to name which issues or agendas the GOP has come through on for conservatives.
It’s a damn small list.