July 06, 2005
Bush: No Litmus Tests On Abortion and Sodomy
Bush defends Gonzales -- President Bush on Wednesday defended Attorney General Alberto Gonzales against criticism from conservatives that he is too moderate to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Conservatives have already mounted a campaign against Gonzales, a former White House counsel and long-time Bush aide who has been mentioned as a possible replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. "I don't like it when a friend gets criticized," Bush said when asked to respond to the attacks on Gonzales. He said his potential candidates for the Supreme Court would not have to undergo any "litmus tests" on issues like abortion and 'gay' marriage.
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Bush Says He Won't Use Litmus Test
President George W. Bush said he wouldn't use a ``litmus test'' to measure Supreme Court candidates' views on issues such as abortion and gay marriage, and called on special interest ``money-raising groups'' to stop attacking Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a potential pick for the court. Bush called on the U.S. Senate, which must confirm his nomination, to ignore special interest groups, ``particularly those on the extremes, who are trying to exploit this opportunity for not only what they think is right but also for their fundraising abilities.''