Bentsen Among Six More Democrats Opposing Bork

Six more Democratic senators, including Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, said today they will oppose elevation of Judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court, criticizing Bork’s record on civil rights and individual privacy. One Republican announced his support for the nominee.

Bentsen, who became the fourth Southern Democratic senator to announce opposition to Bork, said, “In virtually every case where he has taken a position, Judge Bork has opposed the advancement of civil rights over the past 25 years. I am not prepared to vote for a Supreme Court nominee who has steadfastly refused to ackowledge that the people of America have a constitutional right of privacy, especially in the home.”

Also announcing their opposition were Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Max Baucus of Montana, Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland and Carl Levin of Michigan.

Bingaman said confirmation would run the risk of inviting “an era of internal dispute and disaffection” in the country.

“To place this man on the Supreme Court would be to reopen old wounds and to refight old battles,” Kerry said.

On the other side, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) weighed in with an endorsement of Bork and asked colleagues to examine the nominee’s integrity, legal competence, experience and judicial temperament.

‘Bork Is Well-Qualified’

“I believe Robert Bork is well-qualified in all four respects . . . , McCain said.,

He criticized what he called “the tactics of distortion, hysteria and politicized paranoia that many of the special interests have used and exploited to oppose this man.”

President Reagan met with undecided senators today, and spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the President would speak on behalf of Bork in his weekly radio address from Camp David, Md., on Saturday.

Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.), who said he will announce his decision on Monday, said today after his meeting with Reagan, “I told the President that I thought the Bork nomination was in deep trouble notwithstanding what my decision might be.”

He said Reagan did not respond, but White House Chief of Staff Howard H. Baker Jr. said he thought the nomination could still be won although the Administration is “a couple of votes short.”

Sen. J. James Exon (D-Neb.), another uncommitted senator, said, “I told the President that if he could win this one he would make anything the Gipper did in yesteryears at Notre Dame pale by comparison”--a reference to a football player Reagan once portrayed in a movie.

He said the President “laughed and said he was going to try.”

Exon also said, “I did not talk with the President about this, but I got the impression that unless they can nail down 49 to 51 votes in the next few days the nomination could be withdrawn.” He did not say how he got that impression.

DeConcini said that if the Bork nomination is withdrawn, he believes Baker or one of several circuit judges would be possible alternative nominees. However, Fitzwater said, “The President is not considering any alternatives.”

Undecided Sen. John Heinz (R-Pa.) also met with Reagan. Heinz’s administrative assistant, Cliff Shannon, said the senator “assured the President he had not made up his mind yet but was giving a lot of thought to it.”

Two key senators oppose Bork, Page 13.