The Confirmation by Ralph Reed

the massive building at Pennsylvania Avenue and Tenth Street that served as headquarters for the Department of Justice. As attorney general, he presided over the largest law enforcement agency in the world, a sprawling, global behemoth that included the FBI, the federal prison system, one million inmates, 124,000 employees, and agents all over the world. With Peter Corbin Franklin’s stroke, his priority had become singular: identify and recommend a Supreme Court nominee to the president.
    Golden’s inner circle was solidly and reflexively conservative, an insular collection of ideologues and loyalists who shared his commitment to reshaping the federal judiciary, most of whom had been with him for years. To them Franklin’s stroke was a personal tragedy but also the opportunity of their careers. They had no intention of blowing it. Golden leaned forward, placing his hands palms down on the table, immediately getting down to business. “Charlie Hector called. The president wants to meet with me and Battaglia no later than the day after tomorrow to discuss judicial nominees.”
    Art Morris, who headed the Office of Legal Counsel and was one of Golden’s closest aides, raised his eyebrows and let out a long sigh. “That’s a tall order.”
    â€œWe’ve got biographical backgrounders on the top candidates,” reported his chief of staff, a longtime aide in the Senate who had followed him to Justice. “We did that during the transition. But a thorough vetting yet of all their articles, speeches, and legal opinions will take weeks.”
    â€œWe don’t have weeks. We have two days,” shot back Golden. “I want a fifteen- to twenty-page memo on each of them, with a two-page executive summary so the president doesn’t have to read the entire document.” He took a swig from his Diet Coke. “I want analysis of every word they have ever spoken or written. Every case they’ve ever been involved in. I don’t want to leave a stone unturned.”
    â€œWhat about candidates with a thin paper trail?” asked Morris.
    â€œDon’t sugarcoat it,” Golden answered firmly. “We stress to the president that if someone has left no footprints in the snow, there’s usually a reason.” He tapped the table with his knuckles. “No surprises.”
    â€œIn other words, no Souters,” chuckled his chief of staff.
    â€œNo more Souters,” repeated Golden, referring to former Justice David Souter, appointed by George H. W. Bush and viewed as a stealth nominee who ended up greatly disappointing conservatives. “Not on my watch.” He paused. “Charlie said the president wants a close look at women and Hispanic nominees.”
    â€œWe have five or six,” said Morris. “The best by far is Marco Diaz.”
    â€œHe hasn’t been on the DC Circuit long,” noted Golden.
    â€œNineteen months. But he’s terrific. It would be nice to send the second Hispanic Supreme Court nominee in history and watch Stanley and Penneymounter flail around.”
    â€œI like it. What about women?” asked Golden
    â€œWe have two solid candidates and one not so solid,” said Morris. “The best, at least in terms of optics, is Yolanda Majette, an African-American woman who is chief justice of the California Supreme Court. Her father was the former state chair of the NAACP.”
    Golden’s eyes lit up. “Did Long appoint her?”
    â€œNo, but he will know her. She’s stellar.”
    â€œWe’re getting press calls asking if we’re preparing to transmit names to the White House,” reported the chief of staff.
    â€œTell them it’s business as usual,” said Golden. He raised his voice and craned his neck as if to imitate a press spokesperson. “Reviewing judicial candidates is standard at the start of every administration. There is no connection whatsoever to Franklin’s