Washington ? Predicting an easy confirmation for John Roberts, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday he hoped President Bush’s next Supreme Court nominee will share Roberts’ conservative credentials.

“I hope that we’ll have somebody who is modest like Judge Roberts says he is, someone who will promote stability so there are no sharp turns,” said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

With Roberts’ rise from appeal courts to the high court all but assured, Bush has begun early consultations on filling the vacancy created by retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Bush plans to meet on Wednesday with Specter, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.

Leahy, appearing with Specter on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” said he expects to hear specific names from the president at the White House breakfast meeting.

Possible replacements include federal appellate judges Edith Clement, Edith Hollan Jones and Emilio Garza. Also mentioned have been judges J. Michael Luttig, Samuel A. Alito Jr., James Harvie Wilkinson III and Michael McConnell, lawyer Miguel Estrada, former deputy attorney general Larry Thompson and Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales.

“I would hope that we could see the court have less 5-4 decisions and speak with more clarity,” Leahy said. “I think the president, with four of us there, may well get some response on what we think about those names.”

During last week’s confirmation hearings, Roberts declined to elaborate on specific issues such as whether he would uphold the 1973 landmark abortion decision of Roe v. Wade. Still, some Democrats have shown little appetite for a political fight since Roberts would fill the seat of conservative Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, an opponent of Roe.

O’Connor’s seat, however, poses a different question because her vote could tip a court closely divided on abortion, the death penalty, gay rights and affirmative action.

Specter said he is confident Roberts will support privacy rights such as abortion and believes a judge in the same mold would be an appropriate replacement for O’Connor.

The first vote on Roberts is expected Thursday in the 18-member committee, which is divided between 10 Republicans and eight Democrats. The full Senate – composed of 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats and independent Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont – is scheduled to vote the week of Sept. 26, in time for Roberts to take his seat when the court opens a new term on Oct. 3.