Bush to Announce Court Choice; Christians Urge Prayers
Christian conservatives in Washington encouraged pastors to pray for the president as he prepares to announce his pick to the Supreme Court.
Christian conservatives in Washington encouraged pastors to pray for the president as he prepares to announce his pick to replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor tonight.
“This is a time where we really need to be in prayer,” Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said in a conference call with pastors Tuesday. “Up until [the name] crosses his lips, he could change his mind. We need to pray that he makes the right nomination.”
Earlier today, White House spokesman Scott McClellan confirmed that Bush has made a choice for the vacant Supreme Court seat and that he would announce the name at 9 p.m. (EST).
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No further hints were dropped when Bush spoke at a midday news conference today, during which he said he is considering a variety of people and “I’ll let you know when I’m ready to tell you who it is.”
"I do have a obligation to think about people from different backgrounds but who share the same philosophy -- people who will not legislate from the bench," he added. "That's what I told the people when I ran for president."
This only intensified speculation on his choice for the first opening on the court in more than a decade. Edith Clement, a judge on the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, has emerged as a leading candidate. Clement, 57, is considered a conservative judge by legal analysts.
During his conference call with pastors around the nation, Perkins took note of those “names out there” and said he is trying to find out as much as he can about those candidates. However, he warned against jumping to conclusions.
“I won’t be surprised if Edith Clement is inaccurate because the media has the tendency to blow these things up,” he said. “There are very few leaks in this administration.”
Ultimately, he said the best thing for Christians to do at this time is “to be in prayer.”
“We need to pray that [Bush] makes the right nominate, and it’s very clear to us that we know where they stand,” said Perkins. “I don’t have to tell you how important this is, and I want to encourage you - especially if you have prayer networks in your church - to pray as the president moves toward making these nominations.”
The nominee, if confirmed by the senate, would be filling the first Supreme Court vacancy since 1994, when President Clinton nominated Stephen Breyer. O’Connor, the first female to sit on the High Court seat, was appointed by President Reagan.
O’Connor remains at work and her retirement is effective when her successor is sworn in.
