Harriet Miers and the "Pigpen" Press

[mystery-ak]

Thanks, John....I have been anxiously waiting to hear from you....I value your insights.

[WashingtonSource]

I love it when people trot out the "what are they, chopped liver?" line -- it is truly a classic line and never ages. And, I agree with your point, too!

[RebelBanker]

Thank you very much for your thoughtful analysis as well as a really good turn of a phrase.

"Pigpen Press" indeed!

[loveliberty2]

"I think that the best answer to this was given by Justice Joseph Story, Chief Justice Madison's great colleague.
"In the first place, then, every word employed in the constitution is to be expounded in its plain, obvious, and common sense, unless the context furnishes some ground to control, qualify, or enlarge it. Constitutions are not designed for metaphysical or logical subtleties, for niceties of expression, for critical propriety, for elaborate shades of meaning, or for the exercises of philosophical acuteness, or judicial research. They are instruments of a practical nature, founded on the common business of human life, adapted to common wants, designed for common use, and fitted for common understandings. The people make them; the people adopt them; the people must be supposed to read them, with the help of common sense; and cannot be presumed to admit in them any recondite meaning, or any extraordinary gloss. --Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, I. V. 451. XV"

Now, between your publication of this outstanding quotation and Congressman BillyBob's contribution to the debate, we're beginning to see some real common sense surfacing in this matter.

The President can take heart that not all Americans have their own ax to grind in this matter, as do the "face time" pundits on TV and in the printed press.

[Rodney King]

BTW! I note that most, if not all, of the sniping from the right comes from blue blood elitist who seem to believe that ANYONE who studied outside the august halls of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, or Brown are automatically unqualified to serve on the Supreme Court!

Which is dmeonstratably false as our favorite candidates, Rogers, Luttig, Simpson, and Owen all won't to second tier schools.

[Phsstpok]

The press had made much of the opposition of the likes of Eugene Delgadio and Pat Buchanan. I know both these gentlemen who are off the reservation on the hard right. Their remaining supporters, combined, are insufficient to sway the vote of a single Republican Senator. It’s just Pigpen journalism.

I agree with the above point, but also with the criticism that these aren't the only members of the "conservative opposition." The likes of Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin and others far more prominent and too numerous to mention (OK, I'm lazy and didn't want to look them up, but you get the idea) have been VERY vocal in opposing her. I think that this is a separate subject that merits its own discussion.

Buchannen I think I know and, quite frankly, if he's against something I'm for it, almost universally. Similarly I think Bill Kristol's complaints can be attributed to personal dislike of the Bush family more than substantive reasoning. The other critics have been labeled as 'elitists,' or even pro-abortion, or simply anti-Bush.

I don't doubt those conclusions, but I can't vouch for them either. I think the entire episode cries out for someone who actually knows what they're talking about to provide a careful analysis of why this is happening within the conservative movement and, as importantly, what impact that will have going forward. We need someone who has impeccable credentials within the community and who has repeatedly exhibited great talent for in depth analysis as well as the ability to convey the results of that analysis.

You wouldn't happen to know someone like that, would you? (hint, hint)

Seriously, this could be a "Goldwater moment," a turning point akin to the rebirth of the conservative movement following the defeat of Goldwater. There is the distinct possibility that this fight, if it happens as drawn up now, will split "our side." Buchannen I can do without. Krauthamer and Coulter I desperately don't want to lose. We need to understand what's happening and find a "win win" solution.

I think I'm beginning to see the reasoning and, frankly, the brilliance of the choice of Miers. She's a real person, not an ivory tower intellectual. Bork is held forth as the gold standard of conservative jurists by those who complain about this nominee, but Miers is pro second amendment and Bork thinks it's an anachronism. I'm a cynical Christian, meaning I don't trust most organized churches of any stripe, but much of the opposition to this nominee seems to come from folks who have expressed disdain for conservative Christians. Is that what's happening? Or is this some Machiavellian plot being orchestrated by George Soros? Frankly I don't know.

I'd like to encourage you, and others with your talent, to dig deeper, to talk to these people, to understand the core objections, and then see if you can find out whether those objections are based on sound reasoning, personal animus or carefully planted disinformation.

We have an on-line community that humbled Dan Rather through a group effort with unprecedented peer review as the core principle. We tore apart not only the memo, but also exposed bogus arguments ON OUR SIDE before they got wide circulation. That combination is needed here. We need to marshal the troops and find out what's really going on, not shoot from the hip (at our own foot).

Nice article, by the way.

[cloud8]

I'd have asked the same "Pigpen" questions. Still, well written. I hope you're right, and Ann Coulter is wrong.

[Bigun]

Which is demonstrably false as our favorite candidates, Rogers, Luttig, Simpson, and Owen all won't to second tier schools.

Please forgive not making myself clear.

I was not speaking of folks here at FreeRepublic but media pundits like Ann Coulter, George Will, and Patrick J. Buchanon among others.

[maryz]

But if we get a chance to replace a retiring liberal ... hoo, boy.

Assuming one of the liberal justices goes in the next couple of years (in whatever way, and Stevens and Ginsberg are the most likely), that's going to be the tiebreaker vote -- and all hell will break loose.

[You Dirty Rats]

IMHO this has been the best example of brilliantly misunderestimated strategery by the President. He had everyone on BOTH sides of the political spectrum loaded for bear on this nomination. Left and Right were salivating over a fight to the death.

But the President only goes to war when necessary. Strategery, not battle, is the best way to win.

This nomination reminds me of the most effective strategery for winning a game of "Capture the Flag". When the other side defends their flag by covering all of the obvious best players who attack on the fringes and from behind, you send one lone brave attacker right up the gut and steal the flag. That person is halfway home before they realize the flag is gone.

Miers is running for the SCOTUS seat and Dingy Harry and co. can't catch her.

Meanwhile, the President is building quite a bloc on the Court. Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Miers -- just look at the diversity of experience and areas of the law they have among them.

And when a liberal Justice leaves the Court -- send up Jeff Sessions. They can't filibuster a member of the Senate, particularly one who sits on Judiciary.

I love it when a plan comes together.

[Krodg]

I, too, was one of those rare souls who supported Bush primarily for his probable effect on the federal bench. And I confident in both of these appointments.

That was the main concern for my family in the last election. While I don't agree with everything he has said or done, I do trust him to do what he thinks is right. I am pleased with his last two choices though I have more confidence in Miers than I do in Roberts.

[Swampmarine]

I think your reliance on Reid to remain out of the battle is optimistic. As more revelations become public, Reid and the democrats will bail out, followed by the RINO's. With a shakey base, I don't expect we'll ever see a floor vote.

[inquest]

I'm hard pressed to think of ONE "conservative" commentator whose opinion I need to make up my own mind.

That goes without saying. Bush is all you need for that.

[This is most definitely not confined to the "fringe".]

Yes, it is.

And here's where you attempt to see validation of your own feelings on the matter. Too bad it's a wildly inaccurate statement.

[Proud Conservative2]

"So if you want someone that doesn't present a target to the Dems for a filibuster, but want a literalist conservative who you can trust not to change their views, doesn't it make sense to pick someone you know well and trust? "


When GW was asked how Ms Miers stood on abortion, he said he didn't know, that they had never discussed it. How well does he really know her?

I tried to trust him and that just hasn't worked out too well. We have the ongoing illegal aliens running rampant, the miserable failure to protect our borders(while he refered to our wonderful minutemen as vigilantes), the tragedy of the Terri Shiavo fiasco and many other diappointments too numerous to mention here.

I worked hard and spent much money to try and get him re-elected, so I cannot be considered a Bush hater...just a disappointed conservative. I expect him to nominate a consevative with a track record, the best of the best, then use the majority in the Senate to cram the nominee right down the dem's throat! Everytime the Republicans get a majority in the Senate, they blow it.

[Howlin]

No, I have a brain I use all by myself.

You should try it.

[inquest]

You should try showing evidence of it. I'd be really fascinated to see it.

[dirtboy]

When GW was asked how Ms Miers stood on abortion, he said he didn't know, that they had never discussed it. How well does he really know her?

Don't you know a poker face when you see one?

Mier's pastor wouldn't even give a direct answer to that one.

They don't want to give the Dems the hammer to hit her with.

[Howlin]

Did you miss my point?

I'm not even considering justifying myself to you in any way shape or form.

[Servant of the Cross]

same answer to Rodney King at post 60?

[Howlin]

1/2 of FR; my, you're being generous to yourself, aren't you?

And I've made myself perfectly clear on the media, theirs and ours.

I don't need them to tell me what to think.