Bush is cruel to name Miers to the court. She's being roasted by everyone.

[BurtWorm]

http://www.mahablog.com/2005.10.02_arch.html#1128350858977

More commentaries on the Miers nomination--

Bruce Reed, Slate:

Move over, FEMA. President Bush has designated a new official dumping ground for hacks: the Supreme Court....

... Unfortunately, so far as we know, Joe Allbaugh didn't have any college roommates who were women. So Bush picked Miers '67, who overlapped with Laura '68 at SMU. Even if she turns out to be qualified, the Miers nomination starts out looking like another inside deal from an administration that has made far too many.

The right wing has only itself to blame for Bush's choice. For the last six months, they have waged a bitter war against Bush's first White House counsel, Alberto Gonzales, on the grounds that Gonzales was "Spanish for Souter."

Gonzales may have been a hack with suspect conservative credentials, but at least he would have been an inspiring and historic hack. Now the right is stuck with Miers, who may not even be "SMU for Gonzales."

Joel Achenbach, Washington Post:

Apparently she is very detail conscious. We learn this from Legal Times, which recently ran a profile of Miers that was hardly flattering (and borderline mean):

"She has also earned a reputation as exacting, detail-oriented, and meticulous -- to a fault, her critics say. 'She can't separate the forest from the trees,' says one former White House staffer...

...One former White House official familiar with both the counsel's office and Miers is more blunt. 'She failed in Card's office for two reasons,' the official says. 'First, because she can't make a decision, and second, because she can't delegate, she can't let anything go. And having failed for those two reasons, they move her to be the counsel for the president, which requires exactly those two talents.'

From the Right, here's Rich Lowry at The Corner:

Just talked to a very pro-Bush legal type who says he is ashamed and embarrassed this morning. Says Miers was with an undistinguished law firm; never practiced constitutional law; never argued any big cases; never was on law review; has never written on any of the important legal issues. Says she's not even second rate, but is third rate. Dozens and dozens of women would have been better qualified. Says a crony at FEMA is one thing, but on the high court is something else entirely. Her long history of activity with ABA is not encouraging from a conservative perspective--few conservatives would spend their time that way. In short, he says the pick is “deplorable.” There may be an element of venting here, but thought I'd pass along for what it's worth. It's certainly indicative of the mood right now...

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Huge mistake. I agree. n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. The RW is so pissed that Bush didn't go with a jackal instead of Miers

The fact that Reid seems somewhat pleased really goes up their butt.

[Mz Pip]

3. Which gives me pause to speculate

that maybe she will withdraw her nomination in the face of so much criticism. Then George can nominate someone the RW will really like.

Either that or Bush doesn't really care about her qualifications other than she is a crony who will watch his back in the years to come. Who knows what cases involving the BFEE will come before the court in the next few years? Pays to have someone on the inside who can rule in your favor if you have to.

Wink wink, nod nod, you know what I mean you know what I mean.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[rodeodance]

5. a tad bit of Heiz 57 steak sauce adds good flavor.

[louis-t]

10. Maybe he was testing the waters

and planned to pull the nomination all along. Very Rovian.

[rndmprsn]

13. she'd have to recuse herself from any case involving *bush

i'd imagine anyhow, but who knows with these ethically challenged twits

[Mz Pip]

14. SCOTUS judges

don't have to recuse. Look at Fat Tony's friendship with Cheney and how he went hunting with him right before he ruled that Cheney didn't have to turn over his Energy Task Force papers.

More and more I think that this is all about having someone on the court watching his back in the future. She's a longtime friend and I'm sure she's more than conservative enough to satisfy even the most RW fanatics. She just doesn't have a paper trail, which is a good thing for Bush.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[whalerider55]

4. so, if you have a conscience...

do you let this slide because it "could be worse," or do you fight it because she is so blatantly unqualified for the court (and it is probably what bush wants anyway, so he can get a second pick that is much more conservative that the dems won't block b/c they short the wad on miers...)

whalerider

[Wickerman]

6. She sounds like a character. Goes into work at 4 or 5 AM

and stays until 10:00, yet is notoriously slow at turning in any product. OCD, uptight, scary. Unhealthy. A perfrect friend to Bush.

[MaineDem]

11. You don't head a law firm without those hours

It's sad.

I applaud her as a woman making a difference in her field but as a Supreme Court Justice? Nope!

[La Coliniere]

7. No experience necessary.

Is that what the want ad for this job read? The chimp thinks so.

[Vinca]

8. Whatever happens, I hope her nomination drags on and on.

The freeper reaction is worth the risk she'll actually be confirmed.

[mzmolly]

9. It's time to float a third party option -

Infiltrate their blogs/discussion boards and talk of the virtures of the Constitution Party, America First Party or ??? folks. Talk about how the Republican Party has gone to hell in a handbasket, it no longer conservative and lost it's chance to end the evils of abortion.

Play this right, and we can have our own "third party effect" in 2006 - 2008.

:evilgrin:


Atrios writes,

Wingnuttia is rather angry at the choice. I don't think this is because they're really concerned that she's not conservative enough for their tastes, although that's part of it. They're angry because this was supposed to be their nomination. This was their moment. They didn't just want a stealth victory, they wanted parades and fireworks. They wanted Bush to find the wingnuttiest wingnut on the planet, fully clothed and accessorized in all the latest wingnut fashions, not just to give them their desired Court rulings, but also to publicly validate their influence and power. They didn't just want substantive results, what they wanted even more were symbolic ones. They wanted Bush to extend a giant middle finger to everyone to the left of John Ashcroft. They wanted to watch Democrats howl and scream and then ultimately lose a nasty confirmation battle. They wanted this to be their "WE RUN THE COUNTRY AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT" moment.

Whatever kind of judge she would be, she doesn't provide them with that.

Love that blog burtworm. :hi:

[Straight Shooter]

12. She is tough as nails. She represented Microsoft in litigation.

I checked out her former law firm but couldn't find a list of clients they represent, but did learn from another site that she represented Microsoft, although there were no details as to the specifics of the case.

I'm sure all the barbs just bounce off. When you've got Dubya on your side, nuttin' can touch ya. The two of them probably sit around and yuk-yuk over the criticism. I don't think the nomination will be withdrawn. With Dubya, everything seems to be a done deal from the get-go.