Redstate

Well, he kind of seems like Roberts:

July 2002

When asked whether he opposes the death penalty, Cantero said: "I have no views."

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/07/11/State/Selection_a_swipe_at_.shtml

According to that article, he once wrote in an editorial comment to a paper that abortion is murder. He is a practicing catholic active in his church. He also is of Cuban descent (actually Batista, who Castro overthrew, is his great-grandfather), and certainly seems to fit the mold of a solid constructionist.

Among other positives... Harvard Law grad... very fit and I believe 45 years old... attractive family, etc. He pro-business credentials are apparently rock-solid; the only question would be his judicial approach to social issues (though at least personally it very much appears he's conservative).

Picking Cantero would be somewhat risky, in that his record as a judge is pretty short. I would hope Bush would not pick him unless he was convinced Cantero would hold an appropriate approach to the law were he confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Based on my non-insider knowledge, there is no way he's a Souter. There's a real but marginal chance he's a Kennedy. There's an enticing chance he's a Thomas.

The beauty of speculation.  Correct me if I'm wrong...but hasn't every single candidate been mentioned in...well...the last 2 days!!  I have given up.  I'll just wait for the confirmation from Erick.  Better yet, I'll just wait to see President Bush announce.

Here's a thought.  What if Erick is actually the stealth candidate.  Ingenious plan!

My wife doesn't know yet.  But, Cindy Sheehan is expected to endorse me.

Bush nominates Senator Mel Martinez and Al was meeting with Jeb to talk to him about appointing Mel's replacement.

Sorry, I read the part about him describing abortion as murder and got a little over-excited. You get a Catholic who thinks that way, no way he becomes a Souter on social issues. The fact that he is an anti-Castro Cuban tickles the Cold Warrior in me too.

Whether or not it is this guy, I think the fact remains that we will get, as with Roberts, a highly-qualified, under-the-radar judge with some strong conservative credentials. That way when the Dems pull the filibuster, we destroy it without political loss and remove a major obsticale to future nominees. Like when Ruth Bader Ginsberg retires and Bush (or whoever) sends up Janice Rodgers Brown. How you like them apples, Harry Reid?

He also is of Cuban descent (actually Batista, who Castro overthrew, is his great-grandfather)

Batista's great-grandson! Good golly, that would send the lefties over the edge. The possibilities are endless, and almost too delicious to contemplate. And only 45!

On confirmthem.com, someone listed that as a negative. I think it's awesome. Especially seeing as there is a massive portrait of Batista behind his desk in his FL Supreme Court office.

Yeah, seeing Democrats try to stop a hispanic nominee because his grandfather was Castro's enemy would be something to see.

Franz, the Prince of Dogness.  He's a Maltese, has the heart of a German Shepherd and more fight than the 90 pound Doberman he whipped.

He's smarter than any of the Judiciary Committee and will kill and eat Kennedy.

He's very conservative.  His only possible shortcoming might be that he can be bought off with a carrot.

Has there been a justice of the supreme court that was not native born?

And he looks like he could be a good one.

Many have been mentioned in an evaluation way, not claiming that person is front runner.  Basically, it helps to get opinions and get clear the pros and cons of each candidate at confirmthem.`

In June I watched Justice Cantero absolutely embarrass the attorneys (and his fellow Florida Supreme Court justices) who were attacking the state's school choice program.  While I don't know much about his stance on other issues of importance, it was crystal clear to me that he is very, very intelligent and willing to expose the intellectual dishonesty of his peers.  I'll have to look at his opinions a little more closely before I'm perfectly comfortable with the idea of him as a Supreme Court Justice, but my initial reaction to the possibility is very positive.

Just leave him on the Florida Supreme Court long enough that he will influence the outcome of that school choice case!

Felix Frankfurter was born in Austria, I believe

Well, Batista was indeed an unpleasant dictator, but that is probably outweighed by the fact that the Dems would sound pro-Castro by making a fuss.

You know that Chris Dodd (D-Venezuela) would go ballistic.

Updated wish list (in order): Luttig, Estrada, Jones, and McConnell.

The fact that Ted Olson strongly supports Miguel Estrada is good enough for me when it comes to his conservatism and fidelity to the text of the Constitution. By all accounts, Estrada is in the realm of John Roberts when it comes to legal acumen, as are all the others on my list.

I think Luttig is the most qualified. Estrada is a legal heavyweight and would be a homerun in the Hispanic community. Jones has a top-notch legal mind and provides a link to the important women's constituency. And McConnell meets the quality threshold.

President Bush will be handing the Democrats - especially open-minded, swing moderates - an effective, ready-made, non-demagogic line of attack by nominating anyone with less legal gravitas than Roberts.

Anyone know if Judge Pickering is on the short list?