John G Roberts, Jr has been known to conservatives for a very long time. I remember him being nominated by George H.W. Bush to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1992 because I thought he was so young to be so wise and accomplished. Then he was renominated to the same spot by Bush 43 early and he was filibustered. Finally in 2003 they had his hearings and he was spectacular and he took the bench at that time.
Nobody outside the the President's and Miss Miers immediate circle know anything about her. It is only natural that Conservatives feel blind sided and betrayed when the likes of Luttig, McConnell, Brown, Owen, Alito, et. al have established themselves before the public so well.
Brown would have been my pick but I didn't get to pick. Nothing wrong with questioning the Pres judgement in his choice but Harriet Miers is the woman of the hour now, there aren't any other options.
That's not fatalism, that's reality.