WASHINGTON, June 19 (UPI) -- Sources close to the White House have revealed President Bush may be considering appointing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist, suffering from thyroid cancer, has not officially announced his retirement, but experts expect him to step down at the end of the court's term next week, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
The Post said Bush and his advisors are focusing on three candidates, including Gonzales and federal appeals Judges John Roberts and J. Michael Luttig.
The newspaper said Bush's dilemma revolves around conflicting desires to pick a reliable conservative and to make history with the first Hispanic chief justice.
Officials and experts had initially expected Gonzales to be ruled out as a Supreme Justice after he was appointed Attorney General earlier this year. However, several advisers with close ties to the White House have said in recent days that Bush appears to be considering Gonzales alongside the other nominees.
