Bush wins Senate confirmation of judicial nominee

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-led U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed a conservative southern judge to a federal appeals court, giving President George W. Bush a rare victory in his drive this year to put more conservatives on the appellate bench.

By a vote of 59-38, the Senate approved Bush's long-stalled nomination of Mississippi Judge Leslie Southwick to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, drawing swift reaction from many of those running to be elected next year to replace Bush in the White House.

The Senate vote came shortly after 49 Republicans -- joined by 12 Democrats and one independent -- mustered 62 votes, two more than needed, to clear a Democratic procedural roadblock.

"The confirmation of Judge Leslie Southwick ... is a victory for America's judicial system," said Bush, who also called on the Senate to confirm his other judicial nominees.

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona interrupted a presidential campaign trip to return to the Capitol to vote for Southwick and take a political shot at White House challengers.

"Liberals, including the Democratic presidential candidates, are opposing Judge Southwick because they know he will strictly interpret the law rather than make it from the bench," said McCain, who described the nominee as a fair-minded judge who interrupted his career to serve in the Iraq war.

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, a Democratic White House contender, also returned to the Capitol but he did so to vote against the 57-year-old judge.

"Southwick has shown hostility toward civil rights and a disregard for equal rights for minorities, women, gays and lesbians," Obama said.