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Bush's Choice - "He'll interpret the law." Mr. Blaisdell High Court Nominee Is says of Judge Souter. "He won't be there representing one side or the other " In one of Judge Souter's few actions re- Conservative but Isn't garding abortion, he joined with a majority on the Supreme Court ui Seen as an Ideologue 1986 ruling that a woman who gave birth to a seriously deformed child could sue her doctors because she wasn't adequately in- Hasn't Written formed of abortion as an option in her case. That decision may give pause to anti- Much in Judicial Career abortion activists, who generally see such "wrongful birth" decisions as promoting abortion. On the other hand, Judge Souter On a Key Issue: Abortion 1 «M-nic a fjfpar '"' T"™ "vprpsfinr **""• cera that the ruling would require doctors, A Solitary Man Fond of Books to engage In abortion counseling oi their patients, even if they opposed abortion. According to some ol 1115 friends. Mr. By STEPHEN WERMIEL Souter's selection follows a behind-the- And DAVID SHRIBMAN scenes campaign waged on his behalf by a Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNA group of New Hampshire Republican poli- WASHINGTON-President Bush, seek- ticians led by Sen. Warren Rudman and j ing to defuse a political fight already brew- former Gov. John Sununu, now White ing over his first vacancy on the Supreme House chief of staff. They have been pro- Court, struck quickly by choosing a conser- moting Mr. Souter for the Supreme Court vative jurist with no paper trail on abor- ever since the Bork nomination failed. "It's like having your younger brother put In nominating Judge David K. Souter of on the court," Mr. Rudman said last night. Neu Hampshire. President Bush chose a Mr. Sununu officially recused himself from strict constructions who he hopes will sat- the choice of a successor to the liberal and isfy conservatives, but a man whose lack activist Justice William Brennan. / of any articulated stand on abortion rnav Paul McEachern. a Democrat who be- [ make him acceptable to moderates in the 1 came an avowed Sununu adversary in los- party. And by moving within 72 hours of ing two gubernatorial campaigns to him, getting an opening, the president short-cir- yesterday termed the Souter nomination cuited efforts bv activists TO ramnaiTi fnr an eminent one. "He's perfect politically;" a nominee that took their side on the aborj he said "He defuses a huge problem for tiui) miutT " • Bush because he has found a man with Mr. bouter, who will turn 51 during his views that aren't really on one side or the Senate confirmation hearings this fall, is a other. They're not going to pin him down iormer member of the New Hampshire Su- on abortion." — preme Court. State courts, however, rarely "If they wanted somebody who wasn't hear abortion cases. In his current post on controversial he would be the ideal the federal bench, as a member of the U.S. choice," added Rep. Chuck Dougias, a FVst Circuit Court of Appeals in , New Hampshire Republican. he has spent exactly one day hearing By many accounts. Judge Souter is a cases. During his confirmation proceedings solitary man who loves his books. Clever for that job-he was eventually approved unanimously-he told the Senate he had given no speeches worthy of reporting. or. apprPYirnatply 7 QM-in an old farm "He doesn't talk much about abortion, house distinguished by a livinlg room "so even to his closest friends," says Thomas cluttered with books there's a patth to Rath, a former New Hampshire attorney wBefrymrLAi] hit uiiiongttebooteiy general. Mr. Ram, the ioiintil sUue utilcltl. He is a f Mr. Souter doesn't have any reputation 1966 Harvard Law School graduate and I for the kind of conservative judicial activ- Rhodes Scholar who dnves a dilapidated lism that aroused fierce opposition to Presi- car. He hikes in the White Mountains and dent Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork has conquered all the 4,000-footers in the un 19S7. "He isn't a politician or an ideo- area. logue, and he's not much affected by con- Though ambiguous on abortion, Mr. temporary political winns at all." MVS Souter's views on a variety of other issues GregBry Smith, another former New are decidedly conservative. On the New Hampshire attorney general Hampshire Supreme Court he wrote nu- Even Clesson Blaisdell, the dean of merous decisions in criminal cases, gen- Democrats in the New Hampshire state erally taking a tough stance and recognU- senate, says. "I can't say anythin" bad ing society's interest*