The Hiller Instinct: Hiller Instinct: Supreme Choice

Think of this as the first full day of a Presidential campaign, with John Roberts the candidate and the President the press secretary.

"I told him I thought things were off to a very good start for his nomination. I am not surprised, he's highly qualified for the job," President Bush said.

The start came last night on primetime TV with the president introducing Roberts as a conservative.

"He will strictly apply the constitution and laws, and not legislate from the bench," President Bush said.

This morning in Maryland Bush stayed on message.

While Roberts met with some of the senators whose votes can make him a Supreme Court justice, Republicans are confident it will happen.

"It would be hard to find someone with better credentials than Judge Roberts," Sen. Arlen Spector (R - Penn) said.

Not so fast say some Democrats.

"The real question I think that Americans are thinking about this morning is: whose side is Judge Roberts really on, on the really important issues of our times?" Sen. Kennedy (D - Mass) said.

Abortion, the most important issue surrounding this confirmation, brought dueling protestors to the supreme court today with advocates demanding to know where Roberts stands.

"If he agrees with those arguments that roe should be reversed, he should not be on the Supreme Court. We need a justice who will respect the freedoms and liberties of American citizens," Nancy Northrup of the Center for Reproductive Rights said.

So Democrats aren't conceding confirmation.

"Nobody is entitled to a free pass. Someone confirmed to the court today is expected to serve until 2030 or later," Sen. Patrick Leahy (D - VT) said.

That may be a reference to Roberts' age: 50, which may sound young for a Supreme Court Justice, but it isn't.

Clarence Thomas, for example, was 43. Justice Scalia was the same age as Roberts, while Justices Souter and Kennedy were both one-year-older. The youngest Supreme Court Justice was Joseph Story, who was 32 when he was appointed in 1811.

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