Candidate likely to face gantlet on abortion views

SERGIO BUSTOS GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- To become the nation's newest surgeon general, President Bush's nominee will have to navigate the choppy political waters of the Senate, where the confirmation process in recent years has become a moral battleground in the acrimonious debate over abortion rights.

It remains to be seen whether Richard Carmona, a 52-year-old University of Arizona medical school professor, will face the same degree of opposition the last two Clinton administration nominees encountered when they went before a Senate that Republicans controlled. The Senate rejected one Clinton nominee largely because he had performed abortions.

Democrats now have a majority. That means Carmona first must receive the blessing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which is chaired by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. The position gives the well-known liberal what amounts to veto power on any nomination.

In a statement the committee released Tuesday, Kennedy gave no indication of whether he would support or oppose Carmona's nomination.

He said he was looking forward to learning more about Carmona's record and would move quickly to schedule his confirmation hearing.

In announcing the nomination, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said Carmona's views on abortion are consistent with that of the president. Bush opposes abortion.

But Thompson said administration officials tapped Carmona because of his impressive personal achievements and his background in law enforcement and public health.

But a nominee's background or experience is no guarantee of winning in the Senate.

The Clinton administration forwarded the names of nominees with strong credentials. But conservative lawmakers fought the president's choices, defeating one of three. The main objections focused on the nominee's opinions on abortion-related issues.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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