Posted on 10/08/2005 9:48:36 PM PDT by Map Kernow
President George W Bush's controversial nomination of his friend Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court was an act of "political tone deafness" that would harm the Republicans' election prospects, according to the leader of America's largest grassroots conservative organisation.
David Keene, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, gave his scathing assessment to The Sunday Telegraph as senior White House aides fought to stem the Republican revolt over Mr Bush's court choice.
This weekend Robert Bork, an ultra-conservative judge who was himself the focus of a bitter Supreme Court nomination battle under the Reagan administration, became the latest in a string of prominent figures on the Right to criticise Mr Bush.
Ms Miers' nomination was "a disaster on every level" and a "slap in the face" to conservatives, said Mr Bork, whose own appointment was eventually blocked by Democrats. She had "no experience with constitutional law whatever", he complained, describing conservative reactions as veering between "disapproval and outrage".
The fury from the Right at Mr Bush's choice has opened a new front for the White House, already under pressure over Iraq and domestic economic problems.
Mr Bush has testily rejected calls by a growing band of conservatives for his candidate to be withdrawn.
Yesterday he highlighted Ms Miers' high-flying legal career - she was once his personal lawyer in Texas and now serves as White House counsel - and evangelical beliefs in his weekly radio address.
At a time when his approval ratings have dipped below 40 per cent the President chose a nominee with no judicial track record, largely to avoid a bruising battle with Democrats who were expected to oppose better-known conservative candidates.
The move has backfired with Right-wing and religious groups. They have long dreamt of reshaping the highest court with a solid conservative majority, and turned out their supporters to vote for Mr Bush last year after he promised on the campaign trail to achieve that.
They now fear that that goal is in danger as Ms Miers, whose constitutional views are largely unknown, has been chosen to replace a crucial swing voter on a court that often splits five to four.
"The White House's agenda is being determined by events and by the Democrats. They're drifting," said Mr Keene. "The President is clearly off his game. He was reeling from Hurricane Katrina and struggling over the war and clearly didn't want a fight. But now he's got one with his own base."
Although Ms Miers is expected to be confirmed if she does not withdraw, the battle will be bruising.
Leading conservative Republican senators such as Sam Brownback, Trent Lott and Rick Santorum have already indicated that they will find it difficult to support her.
The strongest calls for her withdrawal have come from powerful conservative commentators such as George Will and Charles Krauthammer, in The Washington Post, and Bill Kristol, the editor of the Weekly Standard. All are seen as representing important strands on the Right. The appointment is so significant because the Supreme Court is the ultimate judicial arbiter on such touchstone issues as abortion, gay rights, private property and the role of religion in public life.
Even James Dobson, who as president of Focus on the Family is one of the country's most powerful Christian leaders, is apparently rethinking his initial support for Ms Miers.
Karl Rove, the President's closest adviser, had personally called Mr Dobson to solicit his support by emphasising Ms Miers' evangelical beliefs. But Mr Dobson has now said he feels "fear and trepidation" in endorsing her and he has not asked listeners to his popular radio show to campaign for her.
Mr Keene, who heads the country's largest conservative grassroots organisation, said that Mr Bush's domestic political agenda - most notably, his much-vaunted plans for pension and tax reform - was now crippled and Republican candidates could suffer from the fall-out in congressional elections next year.
The Democrats are saying little as the White House handles a series of headaches. The American death toll in Iraq is fast approaching 2,000 and Mr Bush's handling of Hurricane Katrina is still dogging him.
Shhhh!
Dissent is NOT allowed. What are you a closet DUer? For cryin' out loud you do NOT disagree with the administration on ANYTHING!
Borders? What Illegal Immigrants?
Spending? Quit whining, it's only a problem when liberals do it.
CFR? Well, that pesky Free Speech had to go at some point didn't it?
She will be confirmed. That, or you will get Edith Clement or Consuela Callahan. Those are the next two names on Bush's list.
Take your pick.
This from Judge Bork, who was only a disaster on a few levels.
I'm waiting until the hearing before I make my decision. I've seen some good and some bad so far.
Withdraw this nominee and nominate a Qualified Conservative.
Yup Bush is playing with a team that has a large component of wimps and turncoats...what do we expect him to do...play hardball with a softball team?
If that is true, then the President was not honest about appointing judges in the mold of Scalia and Thomas.
The Brits and Euros love anything that reflects negatively on Bush.
Yep, Bork probably voted for the anti-Semite Buchanan too.
Actually, he is honest. Seems you bozos don't want somebody in that mold.
As long as we have Roberts and Scalia leading the right, I'm also OK with having a yes-woman...after all, she's also a great Christian and an honest (i.e. not Hillary Clinton) woman.
Because everyone in the U.S. that is anti-Miers has already written something and we are not allowed duplicate posts on FR.
Seriously, I am surprised the amount of criticism of this pick. Taranto has a very good column on the dissent expressed at the National Review gathering.
Best of the Web Today
http://opinionjournal.com/best/
Miers Finds Few Buyers
WASHINGTON--When President Bush nominated Harriet Miers on Monday, we saw it as a missed opportunity. It left us underwhelmed, not appalled. But having spent last evening communing here with some 1,000 conservatives at National Review's 50th anniversary dinner, we see a political disaster in the making.
We talked to quite a few people, and we heard not a single kind word about the nomination from anyone who wasn't on the White House staff. A couple of our soundings led us to think that such support as it has received has been more sycophantic than sincere. One putative proponent privately distanced himself* from his public praise of Miers. Another person, whose employer has strongly backed the Miers nomination, told us, "Of course, I disagree wholeheartedly."
Absolutely agreed with your comments.
The name calling is very persuasive.
What evidence do you have that Miers is in the mold of Scalia and Thomas?
If wishes were horses, none of us would have to walk.
The GOP seems to be content with the 60 vote supermajority erected by the DEMs. We don't hear any complainst at all regarding the stalled nominations of Myers and Boyle.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.