Let the games begin

UPDATE (By Mark Noonan): Planned Parenthood has already issued a press release:

The retirement of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor dramatically changes the Supreme Court's composition by removing a crucial moderate voice that has often helped protect the right to women's healthcare. We call on Senator Charles E. Schumer, who has a key seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, to carefully review the qualifications of any nominee and consider the reproductive needs of the women of New York State. With Associate Justice O'Connor's resignation, the stage is set for a high-stakes struggle to defend the reproductive rights of women across the United States.

The mother of all political battles commences.

UPDATE II (By Mark Noonan): The Democratic position that I'm seeing so far is that President Bush MUST appoint a clone of O'Connor...this is Planned Parenthood and the rest of the pro-abortion lobby putting their foot down on the Democrats...for the Democrats, this whole upcoming fight boils down to a defense of Roe, though they'll never so much as whisper that name..

Blogs for Bush has more.