[Dog Gone]

The nomination of Harriet Miers, however, was a misstep.

None of us can possibly know that for several years. Even O'Conner was a reliably conservative vote early on in her tenure on the bench.

William Rehnquist had never been a judge before his appointment.

Everyone here who is drawing lines in the sand and saying definitive things about Miers is just full of it. History has proven repeatedly that supposedly "safe" choices turned out the opposite, and that relative unknowns have turned out to be great selections.

Any declaration today is pure conjecture, and the only mistake might have been assuming that conservatives would wait until enough facts were known to make an educated guess.

[inquest]

None of us can possibly know that for several years. Even O'Conner was a reliably conservative vote early on in her tenure on the bench.

So then what exactly do you expect to accomplish by "waiting for the hearings"?

[jdm]

"William Rehnquist had never been a judge before his appointment."

Yes, however, Rehnquist had SCOTUS experience and, while there, in his early years, was provided with a continuous education in regard to constitutional law (served as a law clerk for SCOTUS Justice R. Jackson). As a clerk, Rehnquist was an apprentice, an internal, behind-the-scences observer to the SCOTUS. It goes without saying that Rehnquist had a depth of background and experience with constitutional law not, by any stretch of the imagination, matched by Miers.

[jdm]

"William Rehnquist had never been a judge before his appointment."

Yes, however, Rehnquist had SCOTUS experience and, while there, in his early years, was provided with a continuous education in regard to constitutional law (served as a law clerk for SCOTUS Justice R. Jackson). As a clerk, Rehnquist was an apprentice, an internal, behind-the-scences observer to the SCOTUS. It goes without saying that Rehnquist had a depth of background and experience with constitutional law not, by any stretch of the imagination, matched by Miers.