Senators Want Roberts To Reply Now

Dems Ask Why He Continued To Judge Lawsuit Against Bush Admin.

(AP) 
After a speech to the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Feinstein told reporters: "I'm not sure what the views are. I had a private conversation and I did get a feeling — a feeling. Well, you can't take a feeling to the bank. So, it's up to me to try to ferret it out."

Feinstein, the only woman on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has said, "It would be very difficult for me to vote yes on a nominee I thought would overturn Roe vs. Wade."

Also Wednesday, two Washington lobbying groups announced their positions on Roberts' nomination, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce supporting the nominee and the liberal People for the American Way opposing the conservative judge.

The chamber has supported many of the president's nominees and policies, while People for the American Way has opposed many of Mr. Bush's judicial appointments.

Roberts served as deputy solicitor general under the first President Bush and as an assistant to the White House counsel and the attorney general under President Reagan. Ralph Neas, PFAW's president, said Roberts was key in many of those administrations' policies.

"The fundamental rights and liberties of Americans are too precious to entrust to someone who spent more than a decade trying to narrow them," Neas said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says Roberts' sterling reputation as one of Washington's best appellate lawyers factored into its decision.

"Roberts has attracted broad, bipartisan support for his fairness, keen intellect, open-mindedness, and judicious practice of the law," said Tom Donohue, the chamber's president and CEO. "He is highly regarded and well respected by the legal and business communities."

The chamber is the world's largest business federation, representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations.

Roberts did some work for the chamber during his time as a private attorney. He represented the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a battle over a Maine law designed to lower drug prices for state residents who lacked insurance coverage.