Don't Wobble

With the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor, President Bush, fresh off a strong speech defending the need for the Iraq war, has to stick to his guns. If he thinks the Democrats have been vicious in their partisanship over Gitmo, just wait. If he keeps his campaign promise to nominate strict constructionists like Thomas and Scalia, he can expect Durbin, Kennedy, Pelosi, and Reid to scream that the sky is falling. If he flinches and names a moderate, he can expect the same from the conservatives who were key to his re-election. The war is key to his foreign policy legacy, but make no mistake: Judicial nominations are key to his domestic legacy. Like his father, the president needs someone like Thatcher to tell him, "Don't wobble, George."