Harriet Miers Withdraws...

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 8:57am

For real...just heard it on NBC.

Updated On: 10/27/05 at 08:57 AM

[RobbO]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:00am

erik, i think "harriet miers pulls out" would be a better headline..

[mominator]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:01am

CNN has it up on their web site as well!

[Plum]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:01am

It's not on Google News yet, but they've been known to take a few minutes to post things before. Argh, I was about to go out and mail my absentee ballot but now I just want to sit in front of my computer and press Refresh.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:02am

It's being reported on all the news programs this morning.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:03am

I know Rob....but I think that one was already used.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:06am

It's true. Goddamn. President Bush, you are officially a duck so lame it can barely quack.
MSNBC

[RecycledH20]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:13am

Now who will Bush nominate to further restrict the rights of US citizens?

[mominator]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:15am

Quack with me people!

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:19am

Hmmm.....curious timing.


I'm just saying.......

[Plum]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:21am

It was a really dumb move on Bush's part all around. Whichever way things went, he probably would have lost.

1. Miers gets confirmed- There were several indications she was less than a wingnut, especially in matters of abortion. Also, the less previous judicicial experience a Supreme Court justice has, the more likely they are to shift in opinion while on the court. And most of those who shift do so to the left. So we could well have had another O'Connor.

2. Miers doesn't make it- Well, we're seeing the results now. Bush stood behind his candidate all the way, put all his weight behind her...and it wasn't enough. The Senate is snatching power back from the Oval Office again, and it doesn't look good for the President. He looks weak because he is, and there's a whole lot of people looking forward to stomping on him now that he's down. Have a fun 3 years in office, Georgie. :)

So yeah, this was a lose-lose proposition as far as I can see, and uncharacteristically foolish for this administration. I'm wondering how much of a split Miers' nomination caused in the "inncer circle" that's carried Bush this far.
Updated On: 10/27/05 at 09:21 AM

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:23am

"Who was with the President when he made this horrendous decision in the first place?"
Chris Mathews

He is going to pick a hardcore conservative now.

And the timing is interesting, although I doubt this will help, it just makes Bush look MORE inept.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:26am

If he picks a hardcore conservative, I hope the few maligned moderates left in his party turn around and kick his sorry ass.

[RobbO]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:28am

just like wmd's and katrina, nothing seems to tarnish W. in the eyes of many republicans. maybe they'll blame the weather on the withdrawal of miers too?

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:35am

I am not sure that this is good. We never know what kind of conservative hack he might nominate.

But, this nomination in the first place shows what an idiot this man and his cohorts are!

[Plum]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:37am

Like I said, brdlwyr, this gives the Senators a sense of power. Between this and Social Security, they know they can resist major Bush initiatives and get away with it not only unscathed, but possibly stronger than before. They won't take some wingnut nominee sitting down.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:38am

Except that so many of them are wingnuts themselves.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:55am

Anyone see Alberto Gonzalez waiting in the wings?

And, Bush is such a petty man, that he may tell some of the more consevative members of his party to go pound sand now that Miers is out.

Maybe she withdrew today because they want to distract from the Indictiments.

Maybe her nomination was one big Rovian plan to be able to have her pull out the same day the indictments come down.

Maybe . . . .

Ah, what the hell. I am just glad that someone not qualified to wear the robe will not make it on the Supreme Court. We already have Clarence, we don't need another.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 9:55am

If he nominates a radical right-winger, it will please the wingnuts AND create a firestorm big enough to deflect attention away from the indictments.

That would be my very good friend Karl's strategy.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:07am

I'd be pretty surprised if Alberto Gonzalez is nominated actually.

If the executive privilege and papers is truly the reason that Miers wasn't going to get confirmed since she is White House council, then Gonzalez would be the same issue.

It isn't that I'd put it past this administration to try and dust that right under the rug under normal circumstances, but with indictments coming tomorrow it seems a bit brazen even for Bush.

I still feel very strongly that Bush will nominate a woman - Judge Priscilla Owen or Judge Janice Brown are likely at the top of those lists. If we see a male nominee, I think Michael Luttig would be an easier confirmation and a more likely choice if for no other reason his relationship with Chief Justice Roberts.
Updated On: 10/27/05 at 10:07 AM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:17am

I was just throwing out Gonzalez because Bush made jokes about him being nominated.

Didn't the Republicans try to get around Executive Privilege when Clinton was President? It is amazing how everything goes around in circles.

Brown was just elevated, and she was one of the four or five that would clearly be filibustered by the Democrats.

I don't think he has the political power for that fight right now, though it might shore up his base - who knows.

I just hope whoever is nominated is in fact qualified. I may disagree with Roberts on his views, but I can respect his intelligence.

It is going to a very interesting November.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:19am

If he nominates a radical right-winger, it will please the wingnuts AND create a firestorm big enough to deflect attention away from the indictments.

Unless the PR folks at the Democratic party are smart enough to relate the two, plus Katrina, the war, etc. in a giant tapestry of Bush administration incompetence. Let the theme be "he can't do this job right."

Or, if you want to keep it simple, use the theme of cronyism. Miers was an unqualified Presidential crony, Wingnut is an extremists' crony.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:20am

I have the television on CNN right now and just heard Wolf Blitzer speak the most terrifying words anyone could hear at 7:19 in the morning...

"Joining us now on the phone is Ann Coulter..."

Seriously? I have to deal with Coulter before my morning Diet Coke? Great.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:20am

AHHHHHH - my eyes, my eyes.

Thank God my TV is not on.

The Spawn of Satan Speaks.

[Patronus]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:28am

Seriously. I dealt with Ed Gillespie with all the grace of Audrey Hepburn this morning.

Then came Coulter...