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Arkansas senators undecided on Roberts Wednesday, Sep 21, 2005 By Alison Vekshin Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- As the Senate moves toward action on the Supreme Court nomination of appeals court judge John Roberts, Arkansas senators remained undecided on how they would vote. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., met Tuesday with President Bush's choice to replace deceased Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Lincoln said she was impressed with Roberts' qualifications, but sought to better understand the nominee. "My concerns were rooted in not as much his legal training as much as it was what were his personal experiences that equipped him to deal with all of the different kinds of litigants that were coming before him," Lincoln said after the meeting. The hour-long meeting was held in Lincoln's office and came at her request. Roberts has held similar meetings with most senators. "I'll go back and reflect on that and the questions I was able to ask him," Lincoln said. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada came out in opposition to Roberts on Tuesday. Lincoln said she would make up her own mind. "I think it's everybody's responsibility to really look and see what's required of us and what's required of this position and to make their own decision," Lincoln said. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., also remained undecided. "I want to make sure that we have the very best jurist we can have," Pryor said. "I also want to make sure that he's not going to be an activist." Pryor said he planned to review the testimony from last week's Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Roberts and see how the panel votes on the nomination on Thursday. Roberts is expected to win approval in the Republican-controlled committee, with the full Senate expected to vote by the end of the month. Pryor is a member of the Gang of 14, a group of seven Democrats and seven Republicans who have agreed to oppose Bush's judicial nominees only under "extraordinary circumstances." Sentiments among Senate Democrats remained mixed on the Roberts nomination following caucus lunches on Tuesday. Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was leaning against Roberts, citing Roberts' beliefs on civil rights. "I think this is really a leap of faith, isn't it?" Kennedy said of the Roberts nomination. "There are those that took the leap in terms of the war. There were those that took the leap in terms of taxes. And now we're being invited to take the leap again in terms of Judge Roberts," Kennedy said. "I don't think I'm going to be among them," he said. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a Gang of 14 member, said he would vote for Roberts "unless there is something that comes out of the woodwork that we're not aware of or anything that would become a disqualifier. "I'm not expecting that," he said. -- 30 -- |
