I think you are correct. Bush knows this woman and is not about to appoint another Souter to the SCOTUS. That is perhaps his dad's worst legacy, that and not ridding the world of Saddam the first time.
If I can nitpick, for someone with a degree in journalism, you use more mixed metaphors than you can shake a stick at. If you're not careful, Taranto is going to use you in his Metaphor Alert.
I appreciate the parsing, but I am too small a fish for Taranto to take notice.
Take care.