Back to Drawing Board to Choose Next Court Nominee

By Wes Rickards
CBN News Assoc. Producer

CBN.com – (CBN News) - Harriet Miers was the first Supreme Court nominee to withdraw in 18 years.

In 1987, Douglas Ginsburg withdrew his name after President Reagan nominated him to the high court.

Ginsburg was forced to withdraw after he admitted he used marijuana in the 1960s and 70s, both as a college student and as a Harvard Law professor. Ginsburg was nominated by Reagan after Robert Bork was defeated.

After Ginsburg withdrew, the Senate confirmed Reagan’s next nominee, Anthony Kennedy. He is now considered a moderate to liberal vote on the court.

Now the nation’s attention turns to the next nominee. Conservatives want someone with a proven track record.

Some of the most commonly mentioned candidates include Federal Appeals Court Judges Michael Luttig, Michael McConnell, Priscilla Owen, and Janice Rogers Brown. Also, Samuel Alito, Emilio Garza, and Edith Jones.

And there are others. But, of course, until the President names someone, it is still a guessing game.

And, just an interesting bit of trivia, before Ginsburg's withdrawal, the last associate justice nominee who withdrew his name was a man named Caleb Cushing -- and that was in 1874.

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