State senators recall O’Connor as even-handed, a perfectionist

PHOENIX – Supreme Court Justicedesignate Sandra O’Connor was depicted yesterday by former legislative colleagues as a perfectionist who often was frustrated with t.be lawmaking process when she served in the Arizona Senate. But she also was fair, intelligent, brilliant, terrific, thoughtful, moderately conservative, rational, gracious and “a great gal,” according to those who know her. The consensus of her former colleagues was that her perfectionism will serve her well on the Supreme Court. O’Connor herself, at a morning news conference in a jampacked Court of Appeals courtroom, was nearly silent, staying completely away from discussing such substantive issues as her stands on the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion. Protectively watched by a White House deputy press secretary, O’Connor said that to answer substantive questions before reporters would “pre-empt the confirmation process before the (U.S.) Senate.” She read a two-sentence statement saying she was honored to have been chosen and pledging to “do my best to serve the court and this nation in a manner that will bring credit to the president, to my family and to all the people of this great nation.” O’Connor appeared at the news conference with her husband, John Jay O’Connor III, a prominent Phoenix attorney, and her three sons, Scott, 23, Brian, 21, and Jay, 19. At the conclus!on of her short state- ment, her judicial colleagues and the employees of the Court of Appeals broke into sustained applause. In the state Senate,