SCOTUS Watch: Bumiller Joins

In a "White House Letter" for Monday's New York Times, Elisabeth Bumiller reports on the strategies and "war plans" of both liberal and conservative interest groups, as well as the White House in the (possible) battle over the next Supreme Court nominee. Most of the article is the usual speculative stuff, but there is an interesting little gem from Arlen Specter, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who just last week had lunch with Chief Justice Rehnquist. Following lunch, Specter said he thought it a "good chance" that the Chief would not in fact retire this month: "I am of the belief that total immersion in a tough job is good therapy," Specter said.

Bumiller adds that the White House plans to run operations on the nomination and confirmation process out of the Counsel's office, but will also establish "an additional war room on Capitol Hill, in the office of Vice President Dick Cheney, Mr. Specter or Senator John Cornyn, a member of the Judiciary Committee and a Texas Republican." She suggests that Bush will act quickly and name a nominee should a vacancy occur, even if it means waiting through Congress' August recess before hearings can be held.

As I mentioned this morning, Supreme Court scuttlebutt is only going to get more common and more detailed as we move toward the end of the term. I'll try to keep up on anything new that comes down the pike.