On the judicial issue, Kendall, I believe the Republicans fully expect that the nominees will be submitted to the the Judiciary Committee. What they want to be assured of is that the nominees will not be locked up in committee because of their political beliefs. They want the committee to refer all nominees, after the committee has considered them, to submit them to the full Senate for consideration. The committee will likely recommend the ones they don't like not be approved. The full Senate, however, would be allowed to vote up or down on each candidate.

What's unreasonable about that?

Sure, the majority of them will philosophically be conservatives but why should that be surprising. Bush is President and he is a conservative Republican (perhaps not as conservative as many think he is however).

Nominees should not be savaged as Robert Bork was. A man who Senator Lehey lauded as being a very qualified candidate and then when he appeared before the committee, joined Senator Kennedy and other liberal senators in ripping him apart for being a conservative.

Three hundred plus judges nominated by President Clinton were approved by a Republican dominated Senate. All our side is asking for is the same fair treatment. If a candidate is qualified on legal terms, he/she should be approved, regardless of his/her political beliefs. Judges are not there to make laws; they are there to interpret laws.

DougR