Abrahamson "liberal ideolog" even Bill Clinton passed

No Hiding Shirley's philosophy after this nugget was uncovered!...do read on....

The Milwaukee Journal

June 15, 1993

Earlier choices hurt Abrahamson
PATRICK JASPERSE

Journal Washington bureau

Washington, D.C. President Clinton wanted a safe nominee for the US Supreme Court, and Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson would have been too controversial, according to several sources familiar with Clinton's selection process.

The sources said Abrahamson was under serious consideration, but in the end was viewed as too liberal to be nominated by a weakened president who is trying to project a moderate image.

"The administration is a little gun-shy about any even slightly risky nominations right now," said a Senate aide who asked not to be identified. "I think they would like to have Shirley Abrahamson on the court, but I think the timing is bad because of the disasters they've had in the recent past with nominations."

During the first five months of his presidency, Clinton has had to withdraw his nomination of Zoe Baird to be attorney general and of Lani Guinier to head the Justice Department's civil rights division. Clinton on Monday nominated federal appeals Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg to succeed the retiring Justice Byron White.

Abrahamson said in a telephone interview that she "was flattered to have been considered; it's good to be on almost anybody's list for almost anything."

She said she had worked with Ginsburg on several judicial committees. "I am impressed with her intellect," Abrahamson said. "The president has submitted a distinguished and very well-qualified nominee."

Nominating Abrahamson would have resulted in "judicial Armageddon," said Clint Bolick, vice president of the conservative Institute for Justice, who spearheaded the opposition to Guinier. "I think that the Guinier nomination demonstrated to Bill Clinton how much capital it would cost him if he nominated a liberal ideolog like Abrahamson."

A second Senate aide said, "Clinton wanted a moderate and Abrahamson is perceived to be more of a liberal."

The aide added: "Anybody who got as far as Justice Abrahamson did, which we think was down to the single digits {in remaining candidates}, certainly is in the ballpark the next time there's a vacancy, and we expect to have a vacancy in the next couple of years."

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) said Monday that he was pleased with the choice of Ginsburg. But he also said of Abrahamson, "As far as I'm concerned, she should be on the Supreme Court. If it isn't this time, it should be next time."

Feingold was backing Abrahamson along with Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala, who knew Abrahamson from her days as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Kohl, who as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee will take part in Ginsburg's nomination hearings, also praised Clinton's choice of Ginsburg.
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