As Ferrer Gains Support, Bloomberg Chooses to Withhold Some - New York Times

As Ferrer Gains Support, Bloomberg Chooses to Withhold Some - New York Times:

"On the day that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton endorsed the mayoral candidacy of Fernando Ferrer, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg broke with the Republican White House and said he opposed the Supreme Court nomination of Judge John G. Roberts Jr.

In a statement handed out to reporters at City Hall yesterday, Mr. Bloomberg complimented Judge Roberts's legal knowledge and integrity but said that he was opposed to the nomination because he did not accept 'the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling as settled law.'

'What I was waiting for, as were many Americans, was a clear affirmation that the life-altering decision as to whether or not to have a child must be a woman's decision,' Mr. Bloomberg said in his statement. 'Unfortunately, Judge Roberts's response did not indicate a commitment to protect a woman's right to choose.'

During his confirmation hearings, Judge Roberts has declined to state his position on Roe v. Wade explicitly, saying, 'I should stay away from discussions of particular issues that are likely to come before the court again.'

At the White House, a senior aide said that the news was not received warmly and that the administration's annoyance with Mr. Bloomberg was promptly shared with his campaign team."