Posted on 10/13/2005 5:03:29 PM PDT by ejdrapes
Did the White House Smear Batchelder? [Jonathan Adler 10/13 03:20 PM] Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Alice Batchelder was reportedly on the Administration’s short list for a Supreme Court vacancy at some point. According to FNC’s Brit Hume, she was struck from the list because of a record of “judicial activism.” In response to Bill Kristol’s suggestion that Batchelder would have been a better nominee on Fox News Sunday, Hume said
Those familiar with Batchelder’s record were surprised at the charge. Over at No Left Turns, Robert Alt wonders where Hume got the idea that Batchelder is an “activist.” If the White House was the source of this charge (and other unflattering and even more spurious notions floated about Batchelder in recent weeks), it is very troubling. As Alt observes, smearing qualified candidates for the Court is no way for this administration to win back the trust and loyalty of the conservative base.I can tell you this about Alice Batchelder. She was very, very closely vetted. And you know what they found? They found all kinds of evidence of activism in her record. And they were quite surprised and not pleased to find that.
When Kristol questioned this new smear tactic, Brit incredulously suggested that this is something he found on his own. But, as Brit’s first statement makes clear, the only way he could have gotten this information about White House opinion is by hearing it from the White House (unless of course he is simply reporting second hand reports—which would mean that he was engaging in rather loose reporting practices).
Probably for the same reason Kristool is carrying the water for the 2% of Republicans that are against Meirs.
< /moonbat >
"the 2% of Republicans that are against Meirs."
HAHAHA HAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA AHAHAHAHAHAHA
Check the poll numbers here. Quite a bit more than '2%'
2%??????
Brit made it up on his own. Case closed
OK, 17%. But 11% were against Roberts.
" Despite vocal opposition from many Republican activists, most Republicans across the county support the President's selection. Fifty-four percent (54%) of the GOP faithful say the President's nominee should be confirmed. Only 17% disagree.
Republicans supported the nomination of Chief Justice John Roberts by a 64% to 11% margin."
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2005/Miers%20Confirmation.htm
Within margin of error.
Did the White House Smear Batchelder? NO!
That's not what the word means. "Incredulous" here is a description of the reaction of the viewer, not of Brit's speaking manner. Words that would work include "incredibly", "unbelievably", and quite a few others.
Among the people who worked to get Bush elected and are running the trains now in Washington, the split is about 95%-5% against Miers.
Throughout the country, other Republicans will unknowingly acquiesce, but the ones who follow things are opposed.
I agree.
Do you really feel Britt was carrying the water for the WH?
I more or less have always felt Britt is his own man. He also is an attorney and just maybe he [his staff] would know how to research the records.
I know there are very few on TV who investigate any of what they present on their program.
Just maybe he has the ability, when he wants, to discover facts on his own.
i'm with you. when was the last time Kristol said or did anyhting supportive of either Bush?
It must be nice to make up percentages at will and pretend they support your side of things.
I worked for Bush and I like Meirs. where do you get your stats?
" It must be nice to make up percentages at will and pretend they support your side of things."
I was being facetious. However, due to some complaints, I updated my sates in post #7 using real stats.
I wish I could be, but something keeps nagging at me telling me this is just a bad nomination. I not saying anything personally against Meirs - other than she doesn't have any record and her age weakens the nomination.
Are you aware she's the same age Bork was when he went thru hearings?
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