Abortion Vote Called Mistake by O’Connor

Supreme Court nominee Sandra D. O’Connor, facing her first day of confirmation hearing questioning, said she made a mistake 11 years ago when she voted in the Arizona legislature to decriminalize abortion. ‘ It was her one important concession, in a day filled with questions about abortion, to the conservatives who have challenged her nomination. But she declined repeatedly to go any further and say how she would rule on that or any other issue on the high court. She assured the Republican-dominated Senate Judiciary Committee, however, that she believes in a limited role for the federal judiciary in American life. “I do not believe it is the function of the judiciary to step in and change the law because the times have changed,” she said. “I do well understand the difference between legislating and judging. “As a judge,” she said, “it is not my function to develop public policy.” The opening of the O’Connor hearings, as senator after senator noted yesterday, was a historic event: the first time the Senate has ever considered a woman for the Supreme Court. Easy Senate confirmation is expected within the next three weeks. It was also the first time since her nomination that O’Connor has explained her record and her views publicly, though she began the hearings by telling the senators that it would be improper for her to be too specific in answer to questions about specific issues she might confront on the court. She did get specific about her actions as an Arizona state senator