Bush will be tested by right-wingers over Supreme Court nominee

Legend has it that bluesman Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in order to get a taste of what it's like to play the guitar like a madman.

President George W. Bush might want to make that story required reading in the White House.

From the moment Sandra Day O'Connor surprised the nation with her resignation announcement from the Supreme Court, the left and the right sprung into action and geared up for a monumental fight.

The left -- pro-choicers, civil rights organizations and unions -- sent out press releases warning that a Clarence Thomas clone -- Bush says he wants judges like the far-right jurist on the Court -- would do damage to the nation. On the other side, the right -- white evangelicals, pro-lifers and others -- made it clear that they will hold Bush to his promise to promote hard-core conservatives to the bench.

Even before he has announced his choice, the right-wingers have made it clear to Bush that his best buddy, Alberto Gonzales, is better off left in the Justice Department as attorney general, rather than have former Sen. Fred Thompson, R.-Tenn., escort him before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

It seems that Gonzales isn't conservative enough, and for those hard-core GOP'ers who pushed, prodded and projected Bush into the White House, they are a force to be reckoned with, and they want their choice in the court -- now.

So what does our president do? He sends a rather weak signal that he wants the conservative forces to "tone down" their rhetoric.

"Al Gonzales is a great friend of mine," Bush told USA Today. "When a friend gets attacked, I don't like it."

But surely, Bush must have known that this day was going to come. All of that talk about compassionate conservatism and respecting the rights and wishes of others doesn't mean squat now that the right-wingers are salivating over what they have always wanted to do: push the "activist" court more to the right.

Now, if many of you think the president has the guts to keep these guys in check, you'd better think again.

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, and the other right-wingers have been emboldened by the results of the last two elections. They are riding high and believe they can do what they please, politics be damned.

Bush did all he can to give them this power. He spoke at their beloved Bob Jones University while campaigning, not saying a word about its racial hatred but reveling in its Christian faith. He threw open the door to the White House, allowing the zealots to run through the building like kids on recess. And he played to them at every opportunity with his "government dollars for faith-based grant" speeches, and the support for a constitutional amendment declaring marriage between a man and a woman.

But this intra-party fight is going to force Bush to make some difficult decisions, including hanging them out to dry if they continue to get out of line. White House aides were quickly dispatched to quell the growing sentiment against Gonzales by asking that the e-mails stop going out questioning the credentials of the former White House counsel and Texas Supreme Court justice. That's good enough for now, but what if Gonzales is the pick? Do you think Bush has the muscle to keep these guys quiet? Not a chance.

See, the president understands the realities of politics. His fervent followers, they don't. They are bullies who are used to getting their way, even if that means running over their patron saint -- George W. Bush. And trust me, they will seek to make like Gen. George Patton and march their ground troops across the White House lawn and grounds of the U.S. Capitol in order to see that their warped and less-than-inclusive vision of America is fulfilled.

My money is on Bush, who tapped Gonzales for the Texas court in 1999, doing the same and appointing the first Hispanic to the U.S. Supreme Court. If so, he will find out that his "friends" really don't trust and respect his wishes.

So send the president a few prayers, because his "prayer warriors" are about to make like Judas and betray him for their 21st century 40 pieces of silver.

Roland S. Martin is executive editor of the Chicago Defender and a commentator for TV One Cable Network. His columns are syndicated nationwide by Creators Syndicate, and he is the author of "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America" He can be reached at rmartin@chicagodefender.com or (312) 225-2400, ext. 130.

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