I have waited a little while to post anything about the Miers nomination for the Supreme Court. Mainly because I was working through my feelings on the topic.
I have two main thoughts. First I have no doubt that her conservative credentials are solid. All I have to do is look at all the other nominations for the courts President Bush has made. Every single one of them has been very solid conservatives. So on that front I'm ok with not knowing much about her because I trust the President on that front.
Second thought is one of slight disappointment. When the President said in answer to a question that he feels she was the most qualified person for the job, that is where I have to take issue. There were many other potential nominees that are very obviously more qualified. This has nothing to do with not being a judge, but the fact that she has no experience whatsoever on handling the wide range of constitutional issues on a national level that is required of a Supreme Court justice.
I think the biggest reason so many conservatives are upset is because the nomination appears to show that the President didn't want a fight in the Senate, but instead sent someone who would be very hard for the Dems to block. With 55 Senators on our side, that seems to be a weak move.
All that to say that what could have earned our side some political points, at best will be neutral, at worst loses points with his base. One thing for sure though is that if the past is any indication, she will be a solid vote on our side.
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And who do you thing penned this?
JUL. 4, 2005: DARK HORSE ...
... in the Supreme Court sweepstakes: Keep an eye on Harriet Miers, White House counsel. Miers was the first woman president of the Texas Bar Association, a co-managing partner of a 400-lawyer firm in Texas, a one-time Dallas city councilor, and by the by, the personal lawyer to one George W. Bush. She joined his staff as governor, served as staff secretary (Richard Darman's old job) in the first administration, and now oversees the White House's legal work. She is quiet, discreet, intensely loyal to Bush personally, and - though not ideologically conservative - nonetheless firmly pro-life. Plus she's a woman. Double plus - she'd be a huge surprise, and the president loves springing surprises on Washington and those pundits who think they know it all.
There are minuses too of course, beginning with that same discretion that recommended Miers as counsel: Supreme Court justices are often expected to have achieved a certain public profile before their appointment, while Miers has gone out of her way to avoid it.
But if the nomination process bogs down - or if President Bush's first choice of nominee should somehow stall or fail - then Miers might well be his back-up nominee. Scoff if you like. But if it happens, please remember that you read it here first.
The answer is....David Frum...former Bush speechwriter.
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