BUSH IS ALREADY THROWING OUT broad hints that he intends to nominate a justice to replace Sandra Day O'Connor who will cause a ruckus in the Senate.

Foreshadowing a confirmation battle in the Senate, Bush called for "a fair vote," for his choice as successor to the moderate conservative, as he has frequently during a prolonged dispute with lawmakers over Democratic efforts to block other nominees.

"The nation deserves and I will select a Supreme Court justice that Americans can be proud of. The nation also deserves a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate, characterized by fair treatment, a fair hearing and a fair vote," he said in the White House Rose Garden.

Notice his choice of words: "The nation deserves and I will select a Supreme Court justice that Americans can be proud of." He isn't selecting a Supreme Court justice. He is nominating a candidate for Supreme Court justice and presenting that nomination before the Senate for their advice and consent. "Dignified" and "fair" to Bush mean softball questions, and not too many of those; a quick vote, and an easy vote to confirm, with no debate or difficult issues raised.

It would never occur to this president that asking the Senate to treat his nominee in a "dignified" and "fair" way requires the same behavior on his part. Bush obviously does not find it necessary to be dignified or fair by nominating a candidate who does not have extreme views on highly contentious issues that are certain to raise hackles in the Senate. No, he will select the most extreme right-wing ideologue he can find, and then expect the Senate to rubberstamp his selection.