Miers Hit on Letters and the Law ("Writings Both Personal and Official Have Critics Poking Fun")

Washington Post ^ | 10/15/2005 | Charles Babington

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Supreme Court confirmation battles usually involve excavations of the nominee's judicial opinions, legal briefs and decades-old government memos. Harriet Miers is the first nominee to hit trouble because of thank-you letters.

Miers's paper trail may be relatively short, but it makes plain that her climb through Texas legal circles and into George W. Bush's inner circle was aided by a penchant for cheerful personal notes. Years later, even some of her supporters are cringing -- and her opponents are viciously making merry -- at the public disclosure of this correspondence and other writings from the 1990s.

Bush may have enjoyed being told by Miers in 1997, "You are the best governor ever -- deserving of great respect." But in 2005 such fawning remarks are contributing to suspicion among Bush's conservative allies and others that she was selected more for personal loyalty than her legal heft.

Combined with columns she wrote for an in-house publication while president of the Texas Bar Association -- critics have called them clumsily worded and empty of content -- Miers may be at risk of flunking the writing portion of the Supreme Court confirmation test, according to some opponents.

"The tipping point in Washington is when you go from being a subject of caricature to the subject of laughter," said Bruce Fein, a Miers critic who served in the Reagan administration's Justice Department and who often speaks on constitutional law. "She's in danger of becoming the subject of laughter."

[Les_Miserables]

Isn't this in itself an indictment of the sad shape of the Republican Party. The best we find is someone who thinks "uh" is a verb and have to vote for him to prevent diasaster. Wonder who we can find to run in '08?

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

http://www.redstate.org/comments/2005/10/14/171020/16/71#71

[Racehorse]

Don't need to.

I know who used it.

[harpu]

"Isn't this in itself an indictment of the sad shape of the Republican Party. The best we find is someone who thinks "uh" is a verb and have to vote for him to prevent diasaster. Wonder who we can find to run in '08?"

Well now, aren't you just a spectacular example of why the republicans are such a disarray. With that mindset (attitude), you should run for the U.S. Senate as a GOP candidate.

[Sunnyflorida]

"Lawyers deal with words. Writing is a skill they must be superior at if they want to be considered superior in their field. "

Ridiculous. I know many, many attorneys and writing is not always a big part of the job. A lot of the 'writing" is boilerplate.

I have personally read and written supreme court decisions in a constitutional law class and I tend to find it quite easy. The US. Constitution is a pretty simple and straight forward document. The DoC is has much more flourish.

[TAdams8591]

That's the way I see it.

If you don't like it, too bad.

[Sunnyflorida]

I am just making a contrast that's all. It is just one prejudice vs. another. I'm just not one of these people that put teachers on a throne. Some are good and dedicated and some are in it for other more selfish reasons. Plus teaching writing does not equate to teaching THINKing. There are many good writers that can not think.

There are plenty of literate people that have no clue. None. I read wall street reports all day long and I'm sure they have very dedicated english teachers, but many are dumb as a door-nail.

One thing I really like about George Bush is that he is so smart but so inarticulate. And look at old Edwards - the silver tongue snake.

I fear no shark. I hunt them.

[GarySpFc]

In other words, why are you so unfirm in your outlook that you are willing to abandon everyone you had supported because of an obviously flawed process within the WH. In fact, I think that process jumped the tracks. We don't know why, but we need to stop the train, put it back on the rails and see what happens.

I have no problem with someone disagreeing if Miers if fit for the office or not. To be honest my first choice would have been Luttig, but knowing a woman would almost certainly fill the seat I would have been happy with Edith Jones or JRB. Any of these would have been my choice. I say my choice, but them I am a Christian, and I want the Lord's choice.

To those of you who are a Christian who have fought the good fight to save babies, prayed until your knees hurt to bring our country back towards God I direct this comment. Is this lady our choice of the Lord's? Would Jesus give this lady the fairness of a hearing?

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.”
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

The Holy Bible New International Version. 1996, c1984 (1 Sa 16:1-13). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

[GarySpFc]

How many times will you continue to spread the bald faced lie Miers was responsbile for these lectures?

[HostileTerritory]

Miers' legacy to future generations will not be her thoughts, but her words.

[AndyJackson]

The Lord said to Samuel...

We are talking about George W. Bush, George the prodigal son, not George the son of god, George our savior.

[AndyJackson]

Miers' legacy to future generations will not be her thoughts, but her words.

Her written word, to be very very precise. I have paid little attention to anything that a SC justice has SAID in a public speech. I have spent a lot of time reading what they have written.

[SteveH]

Yes, my buddy, the Rev. Greg Neal teaches Greek at Perkins, and stated Miers had nothing to do with the lecture series. Indeed, his father has known Miers since she was on the city council in Dallas. If you don't want to believe him that is your problem. I will be glad to furnish you his email address for you to confirm, but it appears you are simply harping the anti-Miers talking points, and unless you promise to go along with what he says I am not going to let you waste his time.

Ah so, so you propose I take the word of a language teacher whose father possibly once knew or saw Meirs 15 or 20 years ago. That's not exactly proof. It is secondhand hearsay at best. And you insist that I agree to it before you even provide it. No thanks, I pass-- rest assured he is in no danger of me troubling him.

Aren't you a cutie. Nobody gave me a memory wipe. I had a different post in mind. You're behind the times.

Perhaps you were responding to a different post and got mixed up. It seems less than clear to me what you were referring to. If you are confused as to which post you are responding to, I'll leave it at that ;-).

Influencing is not choosing.

That's so patently obvious hardly anyone here would contend with it, I would be willing to believe. Perhaps some of us are unable to concede when a point has been made? ;-)

Oh sure, as part of the anti-Miers forces you talk about being abducted by aliens.

Which is obviously a light hearted jest. Perhaps someone got off the wrong side of the bed this morning? ;-)

Miers has been accused of and called everything including, Caligula's Horse, unintelligent, a dullard, dumb, without the ability to write, and many other things.

Most of which has nothing to do with my comments. But raising the issue of ability to write is a legitimate concern. I'm sorry but it's a nomination and the qualifications for nomination are a legitimate part of public discourse. Unless you disagree that citizens have a right to comment on government policy and executive, legislative, or judicial qualifiations of nominees and appointees and elected officials.

If Meirs is as tough as she needs to be, these are issues her resume should have defenses for (and hold the WH shills, thanks). Unless you think she's not so tough and needs help , in which case I suggest you consider her qualifications again with a more critical perspective. Maybe Meirs supporters are demonstrating here that they really subconsciously upset with themselves, and lash out at others as a way to deny or avoid the contradictions inherent in their own public positions on the issues. Sheesh.

Harriet Meirs-- have the foresight to permit the White House to dump the shameful need to "market" you to the constituency who elected the president, and the decency to withdraw your nomination. Now. Thank you.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Why do you consider it a lie?

Are you unfamiliar with what the term responsible means?

Or are you implying that she did not create a womens studies department at SMU?

Is that what you're staying?

I need some clarification on this point.

Are you actually trying to convince us that she is not related-in any way whatsoever-to the womens studies department at her alma mater?

That basically what you're saying?

[GarySpFc]

We are talking about George W. Bush, George the prodigal son, not George the son of god, George our savior.

So, you separate your belief system from how you live? That's is simply put practical atheism.

[AndyJackson]

So, you separate your belief system from how you live?

I SEPERATE my belief in god from my belief in George Bush.

[AndyJackson]

If Meirs is as tough as she needs to be

If Miers were as tough as the WH spinmeisters tell us, then they would not need to tell us. It would be obvious from her resume and a few principal things that she did, such as staying up nights and weekends and giving up a couple of big (well-paying) cases to beat up the opposition on a conservative cause taken pro-bono.

[SteveH]

If Miers were as tough as the WH spinmeisters tell us, then they would not need to tell us. It would be obvious from her resume and a few principal things that she did, such as staying up nights and weekends and giving up a couple of big (well-paying) cases to beat up the opposition on a conservative cause taken pro-bono.

Si, exactamento!

[GarySpFc]

I SEPERATE my belief in god from my belief in George Bush.

Niether do I based my belief system in George Bush, and then again I do not base mine on hate.

[pollyannaish]

What? Why would personal correspondence like that be released? Where did it come from?

/obviously not paying attention to something.