With Miers, it's the only qualification she has. The defense in her favor by guys here is simply "Bush knows her".
No its Bush TRUSTS her to be the kind of Justice he wants. That is the only real FACT in all this nonsensible whining I have seen. There has not been ONE reason of any weight other than I DON'T KNOW if....
To be honest, that is the defense against charges that she won't be a strict constructionist or practice judicial restraint.
It would be silly to argue that her qualifications were "trust bush". Her qualifications are her long, distinguished career as a lawyer and as a person. Her work in, and leadership of a law firm. Her lead roles in her local and state bar association. Her private career as a top-notch corporate attorney representing large clients. Her career in public service. Her rating in the top 100 laywers in the country (twice). The high praise she receives from most who have worked with her. Her recent job screening the smartest jurists in the world to determine their judicial philosophies (apparently successfully, to listen to those here).
They may not be sufficient qualifications to get her into the job interview for you. That's fine. It enough for me to let her move on to the next step. But in either case, THIS is the current qualification list, not some straw-man that her only qualification is that the president knows her.
Some people confuse opportunity with motive. She certainly is only getting this opportunity because of her long and supposedly stellar service for the president. But she was not picked BECAUSE of that relationship. She was picked because of all her qualifications.
After all, Bush did not pick Carl Rove, even though he's known him a LOT longer and I'm sure is even MORE sure of his politics. Why? Because Carl Rove is not as qualified.