SACOFTOMATOES

WILL HE BE NEXT SUPREME COURT JUDGE

Fla. Senator Mel Martinez may be a good choice for GW to put on the Court. I know that Alberto Gonzales is on the short list but some conservatives have expressed reservations about Gonzales moderate judicial views. The Martinez story is a great American dream story. Mel was a refugee from Cuba during operation Peter Pan. He lived with foster parents for four years until he was reunited with his family. He pulled himself up from his boot straps earned a law degree and won a top Fla senate seat. He was also in the first Bush administration as HUD secretary . The President has been aggressively courting the Hispanic vote-and appointing Martinez would be a major step in cementing that relationship.Martinez, a trial attorney by background, is known as a conservative who is also solidly pro-life in his views.
As for a Senate battle over his possible nomination, Martinez should get deferential treatment. When the president named him to the HUD post, for example, he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.

As a member of the "club" of the Senate, it is doubtful he would get "Borked," even from the likes of Ted Kennedy and Chuck Schumer.

And with Republican governor Jeb Bush sitting in Tallahassee and able to appoint a successor to fulfill Martinez's term, the GOP would be able to hang onto his Senate seat to boot.

posted by pappy @ 9:27 AM