ROBERT BORK CALLS MIERS NOMINATION "A DISASTER"

Tucker Carlson ^ | October 5, 2005 | Press Release

[Sam Hill]

ROBERT BORK CALLS THE HARRIET MIERS NOMINATION "A DISASTER" ON TONIGHT'S "THE SITUATION WITH TUCKER CARLSON"

SECAUCUS, NJ - October 7, 2005 - Tonight on MSNBC's "The Situation with Tucker Carlson," former judge and Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork tells Tucker Carlson the Harriet Miers' nomination is "a disaster on every level," that Miers has "no experience with constitutional law whatever" and that the nomination is a "slap in the face" to conservatives.

Following is a transcript of the conversation, which will telecast tonight at 11 p.m. (ET). A full transcript of the show will be available later tonight at www.tv.msnbc.com. "The Situation with Tucker Carlson" telecasts Monday through Friday at 11 p.m. (ET).

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

I think it's more important than the WOT (and I have served two tours in Iraq thus far).

G-d bless you for your service, sir.

[rdb3]

I really haven't decided on Miers yet.

Neither have I. I find it extremly hard to come to any conclusion with insufficient evidence. That's why I don't understand why so many have blood dripping from their lips over this.

If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!

[msnimje]

There is nothing in your link about Levin at all. Also, nothing about Bork having a role in the Kennedy nomination. Was that an oversight or intentional?

I do not recall making any comment about Levin or Kennedy. If you can send me to the post to which you refer and think is mine, I will check it out.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

GWB will appoint another fine SCOUTS in 2007 (probably JRB) and she will be confirmed.

What are next Friday's winning Powerball numbers?

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

For what it's worth, ariamne: I'm a paralegal for several of the top litigators in Washington state... and: they have -- repeatedly; consistently -- demonstrated more decency, honesty and baseline, garden variety conservative values, day in and day out, than approximately 98% of the rest of the population, at barest minimum.

Tell your husband not to let the arrogantly anti-intellectual know-nothings and their bucktoothed "kill all the lawyers" brayings get him down.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

It is not elitist to believe someone should have a firm grasp of Constitutional Law in order to sit on the Supreme Court. That is what they do there, they interpret the Constitution and apply it the laws.

To be indelibly jackhammered onto the bony forehead of each and every FReeper -- from this nanosecond onward! -- who misuses (knowingly or otherwise) the term "elitist" in attempting to tar or libel anyone simply attempting to uphold traditional conservative standards towards the federal judiciary, or intellectual excellence overall.

My hat, sir. :)

[msnimje]

LOL

In looking at your repost of my comment, I see made an error. Before the "pounding" begins, lets correct the record.

The line : That is what they do there, they interpret the Constitution and apply it the laws.

SHOULD READ:

That is what they do there, they interpret the Constitution and apply it TO laws.

[Miss Marple]

The elitism charge is a direct result of Ann Coulter's rantings, who specifically stated that SMU was a "second-tier school". Other's have made snooty references to her "not being an intellectual" and "a lightweight."

Personally, I find this entire attitude repulsive. If it isn't elitism, it's pretty close to it.

[ARCADIA]

How do you know that? She can't be any worse than Ginsberg or Stevens...both of whom will hopefully go gently into the good night soon before the next election.

As much as I disagree with the positions these two have taken, they were both far more qualified for the high court the Miers. Ginsberg has invested an entire career in activist federal litigation, and Stevens had been a specialist in anti-trust law and served as council for the US house of representatives. They had several decades of experience with the intracacies of Federal law while Miers is better qualified to handle traffic tickets and real estate closings, then anything as complex as constitutional law. Everything you do at the Supreme Court has a direct impact on the laws of the 50 states, several territories, and millions of pages of Federal code. Those who work in the area learn to thread lightly; and the last thing you want is an elephant in a China shop; even a well intentioned elephant.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

The elitism charge is a direct result of Ann Coulter's rantings

Then, plainly, the charge should be laid against Ann Coulter, and Ann Coulter alone. Conservatives don't hold individuals to blame for the sins of whatever larger "group" they may be affiliated with -- that's a well-worn card from the Jackson/Sharpton deck (and not one limited to demagoguery on the subject of race, obviously).

Other's have made snooty references to her "not being an intellectual" and "a lightweight." [...] If it isn't elitism, it's pretty close to it.

Horsefeathers. She may very well be somewhat (or considerably more than somewhat) shy of "intellectual"; and -- if so -- then stating so is scarcely "elitism," but (rather) simple, unvarnished truth-telling.

And, quite frankly: real, long-years-in-the-trenches conservative legal and judicial heavyweights, such as (for instance) Bork and Schlafly, have advanced more-than-convincing arguments that Miers almost certainly is a lightweight... at least, when compared to the innumerable better qualified, proven legal and intellectual powerhouses ludicrously passed over instead, on the apparently ruinous grounds that Li'l Chuckie Schumer had his heart of hearts set on this one, instead.

If logical comparison and considered dissent are now "elitism," rather than the baseline eleements of rational discourse conservatism has always prized and valued in the past: then the movement's intellectual underpinnings are well and truly rotted away. "Trust me" and "because he's the President, that's why!" -- which are pretty much the entirety of the pro-Miers argument displayed to date, hereabouts -- won't get us very far, comparatively; nor should they.

[ARCADIA]

I don't think you were ever a part of Dubya's base.

He lost me after he over spent and added his first 5 trillion to the national debt; and then, dedicated himself to dismantling US institutions for the benefit of his New Global World Order. I know he has a little "R" next to his name, and he squeaks conservative noises from time to time, but to me he is a raving big government socialist, who has done everything he can to destroy the America I was raised in. It is not that Gore or Kerry would have been better; it is that all three are equally contemptible.

This nomination gives evidence once again that Bush is a false conservative. He had the opportunity to name one of dozens of solid and talented conservatives, but he went with the lightweight political hack instead.

[beyond the sea]

I find it extremly hard to come to any conclusion with insufficient evidence. That's why I don't understand why so many have blood dripping from their lips over this.

Yes.

[ARCADIA]

I find it extremly hard to come to any conclusion with insufficient evidence.

The lack of evidence leads to its own conclusions. It takes a very small person to walk the Earth for sixty years without leaving a mark.

[rbmillerjr]

After all of this, the only two reasons why Miers is a good pick is that 1) she is confirmable....sorry can't come up with any other good reasons.

Note to all conservative justices: don't judge the Constitution in a conservative or originalist fashion...you will never be confirmable.

...and then the swayin in the wind Republicans on here want to complain about decisions that tear out country apart...message to supporters of this nomination. Quit crying about liberal judges then. You stand for nothing. You bring nothing to the table except royal allegiance that sees you sell out your Party's principles.

[petitfour]

Judge Bork would know a disastrous nomination. His was quite a success! Who did we get as a result of Bork's disastrous on every level nomination???????????????

[rdb3]

The lack of evidence leads to its own conclusions. It takes a very small person to walk the Earth for sixty years without leaving a mark.

I disagree. I have nothing to go on, so any conclusion I come up with is nothing more than conjecture.

I'll wait until I hear from her mouth before I issue any judgement because as of 8 October 2005, I have nothing on which to even form an opinion.

If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!

[PatriotGirl827]

Excellent post.

[NittanyLion]

If logical comparison and considered dissent are now "elitism," rather than the baseline eleements of rational discourse conservatism has always prized and valued in the past: then the movement's intellectual underpinnings are well and truly rotted away. "Trust me" and "because he's the President, that's why!" -- which are pretty much the entirety of the pro-Miers argument displayed to date, hereabouts -- won't get us very far, comparatively; nor should they.

Bears repeating.

[NittanyLion]

The fact remains, a vast majority of Freepers either approve of Miers or are waiting for more information.

Then the fact also remains that a vast majority of Freepers either disapproves of Miers or are waiting for more information.

Is this logic actually beyond your ability to comprehend, or are you being deliberately obtuse?

[AndyJackson]

It takes a very small person to walk the Earth for sixty years without leaving a mark.

YES! If we want enduring conservative decisions, decisions that last and last and that we can all respect, then they must be well and forcefully reasoned. It is not the vote that counts, but the reasoning of the opion that carries the weight and affects how the law will operate for centuries hence. If this woman were capable of the heavy lifting we would have seen some evidence of the bulging intellectual muscles sometime somewhere. You don't have to have played for a conference champion team to become a great football player. But man, you are not going to get recruited if the coach has never seen you play football.