Specter Gives Miers Preview Questions for Confirmation Hearing

FOXNews.com ^ | 27 October 2005

[Aussie Dasher]

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee served notice Wednesday he intends to question Harriet Miers about the Bush administration's policy of detaining suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, injecting new uncertainty into a Supreme Court nomination already in doubt.

In a letter to Miers, who is White House counsel, Sen. Arlen Specter also said he would ask what assurances she could offer that she would be independent, if confirmed, "and not give President Bush any special deference on any matter involving him that might come before the court."

Specter, R-Pa., released the letter as the White House struggled to build support for an appointment that has drawn withering criticism from some prominent conservatives outside Congress and steady skepticism — or worse — from Republican senators.

Three GOP officials said they no longer felt certain that Miers' troubled nomination would survive as long as the Nov. 7 target date for hearings, and that a withdrawal was not out of the question. They spoke on condition of anonymity, noting that the administration's official policy is one of strong continued support for the president's pick.

[Aussie Dasher]

Isn't it time this nomination was given a decent burial?

[Prost1]

It does seem DOA is a delayed judgement.

DOA!

[Agrarian]

Specter may actually be helping out here by giving Bush a reason to pull Miers.

There is a real danger that if Miers makes it to the confirmation hearings that the Dems will decide to pull Bush's fat from the fire and team up with the RINO's to confirm Miers.

That would finish Bush's reputation with his conservative base.

Miers is as good as the libs are now likely to get from Bush. They may decide to take what they can should she make it to the confirmation hearings...