[WL-law]

"Why hasn't she ever gotten married? I don't know the answer to that," said Jerry Clements, a woman who worked with Miers at Locke Liddell & Sapp, the law firm where Miers spent most of her career. "If this was a man, no one would ask that question."

Given the case of Souter, we certainly DO need to ask.

The "Souter" problem, stripped to its essence, is that Souter is GAY. Gay people living in the closet ( a la Souter as a 'confirmed bachelor") have secret lives, secret beliefs. In the context of giving someone a job-for-life of ultimate power, the chance thet someone's closeted views will become their public views, a la Souter, represent a risk that we shouldn't be asked to take again.

[Graybeard58]

The "Souter" problem, stripped to its essence, is that Souter is GAY

Show me proof.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

I have absolutely no problem with a gay man or lesbian sitting on the Supreme Court-provided that they meet other criteria-but I certainly do have objections-very strong ones, in fact-to nominating an individual who could possibly be exposed to a public "outing," or subjected to black mail in order to prevent one.

[wideminded]

Gay people living in the closet ( a la Souter as a 'confirmed bachelor") have secret lives, secret beliefs.

Don't know if Souter is gay, but apparently not all "confirmed bachelors" are. Brian Lamb of C-SPAN just got married for the first time about 2 weeks ago. He is 64.

[pollyannaish]

Souter may be gay, but that is a pretty broad brush. There are LOTS of reasons for staying single.

[pollyannaish]

Oh, and there are plenty of married people who are gay.

So, that broad brush doesn't paint in either direction, imo.