by TChris

Of all the names floated as a possible nominee to the Supreme Court, John Cornyn's may be the most bizarre. Sen. Cornyn, after all, is the man who claimed to understand why judges have been targeted with violence:

"I wonder whether there may be some connection between the perception in some quarters on some occasions where judges are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public, that it builds up and builds up and builds up to the point where some people engage in - engage in violence."

As a NY Times editorial suggested, "when a second important Republican stands up and excuses murderous violence against judges as an understandable reaction to their decisions, then it is time to get really scared."

Even scarier is the thought that Cornyn might be considered a serious candidate for the nation's highest court. Cornyn's close ties to Karl Rove (who helped him win a position on the Texas Supreme Court) and his disregard for the separation of powers would set the stage for an interesting confirmation hearing, but his intemperate remarks about "unaccountable" judges and the violence they invite should be enough to keep him off the president's short list.