The White House-2017 Washington RP

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"The vacant seat." Cal replied. "We really don't have the luxury of leaving it open any longer. We need to lock in on our pick."

Simon shrugs "We have a bit of time, as long as its before midterms. But if you want to move with haste we can do that. I have a few suggestions if need be."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"Wasn't quite the time limit I was thinking of." Cal answered, but did not elaborate. "You said you had suggestions?"

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"Wasn't quite the time limit I was thinking of." Cal answered, but did not elaborate. "You said you had suggestions?"

"Peter Williams in the 11th is good and a very clear indication you intend to tackle Roe v. Wade. Overall very staunchly conservative but has made a surprising pro LGBT ruling a few years ago."

"7th Circuit has Silvia Dykes, she made major waves in Wisconsin and made the state quite a bit more conservative. But at 59 shes old, and the party wants someone who will be around awhile."

"Keith Raymond of the 6th Circuit, developed a reputation for being extremely anti-Winston but also not very environmentally friendly."

"Lauren Johnson is the youngest on my list. Michigan Supreme Court since 2015, before that spent most of her time as a professor, worked at the justice department back a lot of controversial Shrub Jr. policies like waterboarding. She is very connected in the party."

"Finally my personal favorite, Glen Norwood of the 10th circuit. Clerked with the best judges across the political spectrum, graduated Columbia, Harvard, Oxford, private practice for a decade and went straight to a top justice department job, went through nomination lightning quick in 06. He writes beautifully, is relatively young and can sit on the seat for decades, and has written conservative decisions on every legal issue you could ask for. The man is incredibly bright and qualified, no one could refute him on that front."

Glen Norwood= Neil Gorsuch
Lauren Johnson=Joan Larsen
Peter Williams= William Pryor
Silvia Dykes- Diane Sykes
Keith Raymond= Raymond Kethledge

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"What are their ages?" Cal questioned. "Any health concerns for any of them? Dykes is the oldest, I'd imagine?"

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"What are their ages?" Cal questioned. "Any health concerns for any of them? Dykes is the oldest, I'd imagine?"

"Johnson 47, Norwood 49, Raymond and Williams both mid 50s. No health concerns as far as im aware."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal folded his hands, deep in thought.

"What do you think the most important thing we need to consider when we're making this pick is?"

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal folded his hands, deep in thought.

"What do you think the most important thing we need to consider when we're making this pick is?"

"Speaking for the party? Longevity, someone that will favor republicans. But for the country?... Any one of these picks would do you proud, the reason I lean towards Norwood is because how his mind works, the way he approaches cases, he is conservative but not the most conservative pick, young but not the youngest. I favor him because I have no doubt he will go down as one of the most brilliant Justices ever to be on the bench. His reasonings and dissents will be studied in classrooms for a century and every decision he is a part of will benefit from his inquisitive mind. He is principled and has massive integrity. He will not always toe the party line, he will not owe you anything, but all his decisions are firmly based in law and principle, he is a conservative and will do us proud. Norwood is the full package."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Hearing the answer in the first sentence, and not as much beyond it, Cal steeped his fingers, and finally replied with another question.

"What if we got someone with longevity that could blow any of those candidates out of the water, that we already know favors Republicans?"

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Hearing the answer in the first sentence, and not as much beyond it, Cal steeped his fingers, and finally replied with another question.

"What if we got someone with longevity that could blow any of those candidates out of the water, that we already know favors Republicans?"

"I'm guessing you have someone in mind?"

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"With everything you were saying about longevity and party....what about tapping Rossi?" Cal offered.

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"With everything you were saying about longevity and party....what about tapping Rossi?" Cal offered.

Simon sits down clearly not expecting to hear that name. He took a few moments....

"I just had a conversation with a party donor, he wants to see Rossi run for President in the 2030's... As for your question, I'd say in 20 years, yes she'd make a good nominee. But right now she does not have the experience for the position. Yea she's a republican, above average so far, and the Winston case makes her a rising star but this is a supreme court nomination, and frankly I just don't think she is capable of handling the job. Not to mention her nervous condition leaves her extremely vulnerable in the confirmation hearing. Has she even practiced law in the private sector or worked in the justice department? Would she even want the nomination? Aside from longevity I can't think of any upsides, if we want someone pro-republican we have better nominees."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"In twenty years, though, the longevity advantage is long gone." Cal pointed out, then returned to thought. "Obviously there's not any experience, but I don't think we often get the chance to pick out a nominee this early, and know their stance on the party as well."

He stood up from the chair, glanced at Aubrey, in the corner, who looked back with a meaningless expression, and then looked around the room.

"I don't like where things are with the party and the Congress right now. I want to find a way to bring us back together, get things on good, level ground again, especially with what we're going to have to go through going forward. It's an important seat, and it's important to the party, too. Like you said, the most important things to the party are longevity, and someone that will favor them. We couldn't find a more perfect fit than what we have here. It's not a perfect choice in every way, experience, like you said, but I can't think of a better way to smooth this relationship out then to take this opportunity while we have the chance."

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"In twenty years, though, the longevity advantage is long gone." Cal pointed out, then returned to thought. "Obviously there's not any experience, but I don't think we often get the chance to pick out a nominee this early, and know their stance on the party as well."

He stood up from the chair, glanced at Aubrey, in the corner, who looked back with a meaningless expression, and then looked around the room.

"I don't like where things are with the party and the Congress right now. I want to find a way to bring us back together, get things on good, level ground again, especially with what we're going to have to go through going forward. It's an important seat, and it's important to the party, too. Like you said, the most important things to the party are longevity, and someone that will favor them. We couldn't find a more perfect fit than what we have here. It's not a perfect choice in every way, experience, like you said, but I can't think of a better way to smooth this relationship out then to take this opportunity while we have the chance."

"You don't do that by picking Rossi, you do it by picking a good conservative judge. Rossi is not a proven conservative, she wouldn't be a good justice and frankly she wouldnt get confirmed. Its blatant partisanship that wouldn't win us any favors even with republicans, it wouldnt get us on level ground in the least. I'm sorry sir it's not workable and even if it was I would not support it because it'd be a terrible decision. We have plenty more options that will help us in Congress, that don't involve throwing away a supreme court pick. A pick that the party will not like."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal frowned. "You just said that even the party donors liked her, and what the party wanted was someone proven to be for the party, and someone with longevity. I mean, we have an actual voting record to work with here. With Alstaff it was just trying to pick bits and pieces of opinions here and there and guess at what that would mean for all the issues that were never ruled on. From everything you just said, this is the perfect pick for the party, I don't see where this backtracking is coming from."

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal frowned. "You just said that even the party donors liked her, and what the party wanted was someone proven to be for the party, and someone with longevity. I mean, we have an actual voting record to work with here. With Alstaff it was just trying to pick bits and pieces of opinions here and there and guess at what that would mean for all the issues that were never ruled on. From everything you just said, this is the perfect pick for the party, I don't see where this backtracking is coming from."

"I said one donor, looking 30 years ahead who would be quite upset if she went out of politics. She has a voting record of what 2 years? She only won her election because of her family connections, in a crowded field in a heavily republican district and even so just barely. Sorry for backtracking sir i just thought actually being qualified for the job went without saying."

"I have given you several choices that are excellent, conservative and would do both the party and country proud, you get one of these picks through you see a big approval bump and you see congress get more in line, you gain a bunch of political capital. Rossi is not only likely to fail as a nominee, but she will be a poor and unpopular justice, we get no bump in public opinion and Rossi is not connected or popular enough in the party to win us favors in congress, getting her through costs us popularity and political capital both. She gave up a career in law sir, she is in politics, you will be risking everything for little reward."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"Is there something else to this?" Cal questioned, honestly curious. "This is really just vehement."

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"Is there something else to this?" Cal questioned, honestly curious. "This is really just vehement."

"Frankly sir, I'm honestly just surprised." Simon took a breath "Congress is problematic enough right now, I have a plan to get everything back in working order, but such a radical pick is not at all what we need right now. "

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"Is there something else to this?" Cal questioned, honestly curious. "This is really just vehement."

"Sir, something else to keep in mind is how valuable she is in Congress. She could easily be a senator in the future, and in the house right now she gives great legitimacy to any agenda she supports."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal waved a hand dismissively. "We have plenty of Senators, and plenty of people who can run for that any midterm. This, though, we're talking about a Justice for fifty, sixty years. That, well, that is a lot bigger."

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal waved a hand dismissively. "We have plenty of Senators, and plenty of people who can run for that any midterm. This, though, we're talking about a Justice for fifty, sixty years. That, well, that is a lot bigger."

"I serve at the pleasure of the President, Ill speak with Rossi if you wish."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal shook his head. "I don't want to bowl you over, just making sure we're taking advantage of this chance. I'll talk to Winslow about it, see if she has the same concerns."

"In the meantime, I'll take a look at Norwood, your recommendation there." He smirked. "I don't think I've ever heard you describe someone so glowingly. Almost makes me worried. Maybe I'll take a look at Raymund as a second to him, see how bad he is on the environment."

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal shook his head. "I don't want to bowl you over, just making sure we're taking advantage of this chance. I'll talk to Winslow about it, see if she has the same concerns."

"In the meantime, I'll take a look at Norwood, your recommendation there." He smirked. "I don't think I've ever heard you describe someone so glowingly. Almost makes me worried. Maybe I'll take a look at Raymund as a second to him, see how bad he is on the environment."

"What can I say sir, he does write beautifully, and he was made a ruling regarding Chevron Deference which is rare. As for Raymund I think it was more about Winston's policies than the actual environment."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal nodded. "The way I'd heard it, there's a certain protocol with these things. You can't ask direct questions in the hearings, and direct meetings are frowned on. Is that right?"

[Dentali]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

Cal nodded. "The way I'd heard it, there's a certain protocol with these things. You can't ask direct questions in the hearings, and direct meetings are frowned on. Is that right?"

"Essentially, we can go around it do something in secret if you deem it necessary. Its a pick you have to live with and can't take back, i'd rather you be comfortable with the pick than follow some protocol."

[Prolieum]

March 6, 2017

Oval Office

"Hmm." Cal mused, two warring schools of thought clashing in his mind. "Certainty is crucial, but I don't want to risk a scandal unless absolutely necessary, and meetings might run too long. Let's gather up what we have on the records of these guys, you can find some of that beautiful writing if you want, and see how secure we feel about it, if absolutely necessary, we'll go for the meets.'