[Gondring]

Now you're calling me a liar just like you're calling the President and Miers liars.

Interesting point.

Bush had emphasized to his aides, however, that he wanted to nominate a woman or minority. Federal appellate Judge Priscilla Owen had been under serious consideration and, an administration official said, was willing to endure another fight, after surviving a Democrat-led filibuster of her nomination to the New Orleans-based federal appeals court. She did not withdraw her name from consideration, the official said.

But Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and other Senate Democrats had warned Bush that the nomination of the strongly conservative Owen would provoke an all-out fight and likely trigger a filibuster.

So with his approval rating dropping after the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, Bush turned to Miers, his trusted adviser. Officials had floated the idea of nominating her with top outside legal advisers the week before, and they believed the Republican Party's conservative base would be content with her nomination.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Neither did the brilliantly caustic-but always overlooked-jurist Edith Jones.

When will the spin control cease?

[Ken H]

If this is true, it would be a pretty big deal. How solid do you think this information is?

[Cboldt]

From your link ...

Partly because of the Democrats' success in filibustering appellate court nominees, Bush had a shorter list of candidates to examine for the Supreme Court. Highly qualified prospects were unavailable, deemed too inflammatory by Senate leaders or, as in Estrada's case, unwilling to re-enter the fray.

The President backs down because the Senate deems the contest "too inflammatory." Just a big fat disappointment. Why the hell should I support ANYBODY with this lack of conviction to the Constitution?