John Roberts' confirmation as the 17th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court went as expected Thursday. But Bush's second nomination to the Supreme Court, expected to be released tomorrow, has begun to stir political controversy.
All of the Republican majority and over half of the Democratic minority contributed to the 78 votes to name Roberts.
Overwhelming support for Roberts to succeed previous Chief Justice William Rehnquist did not surprise local political experts.
\He's so well-qualified from a legal perspective ... The only grounds on which to really oppose him were political,"" said Donald Downs, a professor of political science, law and journalism at UW-Madison.
It would have been difficult for senators to justify putting Robert's politics and how he would decide future cases over his basic theory of law, Downs added.
But locally, both parties said they agree Roberts was an upstanding choice.
""He's very good for our times. He's young and he's bright and I think he'll try to be very fair,"" said Dane County Republicans member Judy Baumgartner.
Dane County Democrats voiced faith that Roberts will approach cases fairly, though Democrats at a national level have voiced concern toward Roberts' policies.
""One of the really important things [Roberts] said was that he was going to uphold precedent,"" said Dane County College Democrats member Sam Shartman. ""That's the most important thing right now when you look at Roe vs. Wade and privacy laws.""
Bush's next nominee, however, may not find the same bipartisan support.
""This is a historic opportunity that the conservative movement has been waiting for,"" Franklin said. ""I have no doubt that Bush feels a historically broader political obligation to move the court to the right.""
Local Democrats expressed hope President Bush will replace Sandra Day O'Connor, a more moderate judge than Rehnquist, with a nominee that will keep the Supreme Court balanced.
""The government is so polarized right now, it only makes sense to appoint who's going to be a fair judge,"" Shartman said.
Projections emphasize the possibility of a female or minority as the President's choice.
Downs, however, said he believes gender equality and diversity will not necessarily mean a more moderate candidate.
""The more conservative the person is, the more likely the person is going to be a woman or a minority. That's going to make it politically difficult for the Democrats to oppose,"" he said.
Political experts predict the number of negative votes in the Senate will increase with the second set of hearings.
""It's going to be a battle royale,"" Downs said.
