ACCOUNTABILITY CORNER

Who would President Bush pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor? Appellate Judge John G. Roberts Jr. was anything but a safe guess as the president faced enormous pressure to appoint a woman, a Latino or at least someone with long judicial experience.

(No less than Laura Bush told NBC on July 12, “I would really like for him to name another woman,” and

appellate judges Edith Jones and Edith Brown Clement were reportedly in the running.)

-- Brendan

Buhler

*

“It will be John Roberts.”

-- Latham &

Watkins partner

Maureen Mahoney

to Legal Times

(Feb. 21)

*

The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, a liberal advocacy group, bought the domain name stoproberts.com

“I think [Bush] wants to pick a conservative woman.”

-- Weekly Standard

Editor Bill Kristol on

“Fox News Sunday”

(July 17)

*

“Alberto Gonzales is the man for this job.”

-- NPR’s Juan

Williams on “Fox

News Sunday”

*

“Edith Jones.... The first lady is not often defied.”

-- CNN legal

analyst Jeffrey

Toobin (July 19)

*

“It is entirely possible that all this buzz is wrong and that Clement was, in fact, interviewed and NOT chosen...” [continued below]

*

”... But that is NOT what the buzz sounds like to our veteran ears.”

-- ABC’s online

The Note (July 19)

*

“If I had to pick, I’d say it will be John Roberts.”

-- Former White

House lawyer

Bradford Berenson

to The Times

(June 26)