This week, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) created a firestorm among conservative Republicans, upset over comments indicating that he might not accept judicial nominees who were too conservative, or pro-life.
Senator Specter was a guest on Face The Nation this morning. Following is a partial transcript relating to his comments about judicial nominations (much of the interview dealt with other issues, such as stem cell research).
Following are relevant parts of the transcript, assembled by Campaign Line:
Bob Schieffer: We begin in Philadelphia with Senator Arlen Specter, and to sort of set the stage, Senator Specter, let's review what went on. Last week, you said, and I believe this was your quote, "It would be unlikely for staunch opponents of abortion to be confirmed to the Supreme Court by the next Congress. Now you are the incoming or going to be, in line to be, the new chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and when you said that, it set off something of a firestorm among many conservatives. Among them, James Dobson who's head of Focus on the Family who said, and he said it just this morning, you have now become a big time problem and you should be derailed. They're trying to block you from becoming chairman of the Judiciary Committee. What's your response to all this, Senator?
Senator Specter: Well, Bob, the problem started when AP reported that I had, quote, "warned the president," which is not so. Rush Limbaugh and Fox said that they were trying to put a spin on what I had said, and when people are opposing me as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, these are the same people who came to Pennsylvania during my primary and tried to defeat me, but the fact is that I have supported all of President Bush's nominees in committee and on the floor. I have never applied a litmus test. I have supported Chief Justice Rehnquist for confirmation as chief justice when I knew he had voted against Roe v. Wade. I supported Justice Kennedy and O'Connor and Scalia and I led the fight to confirm Clarence Thomas. So that my record is pretty plain that although I am pro-choice, I have supported many pro-life nominees.
Schieffer: So do you believe, I mean, just to go back to what you said the first time around, that anyone who wants to overturn Roe v. Wade would be confirmed by the Senate or could not be?
Specter: Well, what I said was that you need 60 votes for cloture, and we have had a history where the Democrats have been filibustering. So the concern as to confirmation is really the recognition of a political fact. I voted to cut off debate all the time. I have voted for cloture which means to cut off debate. But with 55 Republicans you aren't at the magic number of 60, so you have to anticipate problems with the Democrats as we have had a lot of them in the past Congress.
Schieffer: Well, let me just ask you this, Senator. What do you make of this drive among some people to try to block you from becoming chairman of the committee? Do you take that seriously?
Specter: Well, I take everything seriously, but these are the same people who came to Pennsylvania from all over the country to try to defeat me in the primary election and they were unsuccessful. They do not like my independence, and I am, I believe, the only pro-choice Republican on the Judiciary Committee but that doesn't mean that I have a litmus test or that I don't give appropriate deference to whom the president nominates.
Schieffer: Well, then what do you say to Mr. Dobson? He heads a very powerful group of people out there, this Focus on the Family group. There's no question that a lot of people pay attention to what he has to say. What do you say to him?
Specter: Well if he would call me up, I would say, Dr. Dobson, the situation on getting 60 votes is not my making. It is the making of the Democrats and they have demonstrated it. And I have been in the corner of deference to the president with people like Chief Justice Rehnquist when it was plain from his vote in Roe v. Wade that he was against a woman's right to choose and led the fight as to Clarence Thomas, almost lost my seat, Bob. I was up for election immediately after that confirmation hearing. That's what I would tell him.
[Face The Nation's website should have the entire transcript up later in the week if you'd like to see what he said about stem cell research and other topics].
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