Bush moving up Supreme Court announcement to 'change the subject'

[quaoar]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2005-07-18T170831Z_01_N18256385_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-BUSH-COURT-DC.XML

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush said on Monday he will meet face-to-face with some of the possible nominees for a Supreme Court opening but that others in contention may not require interviews because he already knows them.

< snip >

A Republican strategist with close ties to the White House said Bush could announce his pick as early as Tuesday.

The strategist said the timing of an announcement had been moved up in part to deflect attention away from a CIA leak controversy that has engulfed Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove.

"It will happen any day," the strategist said of the Supreme Court decision, adding that the aim is to "change the subject" from Rove.

[derby378]

1. Being President is hard!!

[napi21]

2. Sooo, are these reporters watching who comes and goes at the WH?

I wouldn't think it would be too difficult to spot a handfull of possible nominees visiting the WH for this "face to face" metting!

[leveymg]

3. Dem leaders to *: no SC appn'ts until Plamegate is prosecuted.

Would we have let Richard Nixon appoint his own Judge during Watergate? No way! Not this time, either, Mr. Unindicted Co-conspirator.

[SaveElmer]

4. Will only hurt the Right WIng counterattack...

The scandal itself is being fueld by the Fitzgerald investigation. After the hype over the SC nomination dies down that will still be there...and the media coverage will return.

But, this lame RW defense they have been tryingto mount requires sustained coverage to gain momentum. It's the repetition of a lie that eventually gives it credibility. The interruption in coverage will cripple that effort - lame as it was!!!

[quaoar]

7. Except

that the RW counteroffensive has been about as punchless as Mike Tyson's last fight.

Perhaps they think if they change the subject they would have time to come up with a new batch of lies.

[SaveElmer]

8. Yeah...

That is possible...but the RW has been so deluded lately maybe they think it was working!!!

[trogdor]

5. Good.

Maybe it will be someone sane, so we can all marvel at *'s brief flash of lucidity. Trade five (temporary, but earned in this case) approval rating points for someone competent in the SCOTUS? Sure I would.

[BillZBubb]

6. My bet is he picks someone very objectionable to us.

He'll want a protracted fight in the Senate. That way the Pugs can scream how "angry", "unfair", "obstructionist", and "partisan" the Democrats are in opposing such a wonderful judge.

They'll then use that same mantra to cover for the leakers in the White House. No doubt some of the sheeple will be swayed by this.

[ComerPerro]

11. You're absolutely right

persecution complex.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. He'll give us a list.. not just a single name

He can get more time out of a list than just one name.

[Contrary1]

10. That's fine.

Shrub loses. He had intended to drag it out a bit longer to give the Democrats less time to argue before October.

They can change the subject all they want. Once Fitzgerald is done with the probe, Rove will be all over the news again. If he wasn't guilty, they wouldn't need to try the sleight of hand routine.

By the way, one of the experts on Countdown last night said Shrub's re-wording of what will be required to fire anyone over this will be moot if Rove is indicted. At that point, he said, Rove is done.