In a dramatic conclusion to three weeks of hearings, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 9 to 5 last week to recommend that the full chamber reject the nomination of Judge Robert H. Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Oct. 6 vote by the panel, combined with the growing list of conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans who say they will vote against Judge Bork when the issue reaches the floor this week, all but ensures that the nomination is doomed, leaders of both parties agree.
At mid-week, the Senate Democratic whip, Alan Cranston of California, reported that he had counted 56 likely votes to defeat the nomination, compared with only 40 in favor and 4 uncommitted.
President Reagan repeatedly4asserted last week that the fight to seat the conservative federal appellate judge on the High Court would continue. But there was some speculation late last week that Mr. Bork would ask that his name be withdrawn from consideration prior to the Senate vote.
Senate rejection of the nomination would most likely guarantee an eight-member Court through the beginning of next year. Congressional leaders said last week that they hoped to adjourn their current session by Nov. 21, which would leave the Senate only five weeks in which to consider a new nomination along with other pressing budget, tax, and legislative matters.
