The politics of the Harriet Miers nomination seem to be a complete a zero-sum game. The more the White House tries to reassure fuming conservatives that the Supreme Court nominee will "vote the right way" the more the Democratic opposition ramps up to oppose her. The Bush administration looks to be in a box with no sure way out. Unless the unthinkable is true: Maybe George W. Bush is far smarter than we think.This is where President Bush — or someone on his team — might have a clearer read of the political situation than it first appears. Conservatives opposed to Miers are essentially validating Miers as a conservative lite insufficiently opposed to abortion. Practically, that's just where Bush should want her to be.
For even as Republicans clash one against another, Democrats are still standing by, flat-footed and flummoxed and utterly unsure of what to do next. They have some hard choices to make because Bush chose Miers.
If he must, Bush will fight the Miers fight without conservative help, but against Democrats unsure of what to do.
This along with shards of Republican loyalty might be enough to get her on the court. If not, Bush goes back and selects someone else even more qualified, having spent the energies of all possible opposition. Harriet Miers will worship him regardless.
Well, that part should be easy enough.
...having spent the energies of all possible opposition.
Someone needs to put down the crack pipe.
George,
I agree with you. I thought from the very beginning that the Miers nomination IS a Rope-A-Dope. Why does not anyone else see this? She is absolutely a "light-weight" while there are far more qualified women AND men lawyers AND judges that could be nominated for the O'Connor vacancy. I believe the Miers nomination will end in a week or two with a more qualified nominee.