LOOKING FORWARD (Post Miers NRO and Frum's Take)

National Review Online ^ | 28 October 2005 | David Frum

[garv]

Evidently you believe the President is unable to withstand the sheer power of conservative punditry. I'd like to think President Bush has the power to ignore them.

[Ben Ficklin]

You and Frump may think that the wound has almost healed, but the Senate Dems will be picking the scab during the confirmation process of the next nominee.

BTW, will you be insisting that the next nominee reveal his position on abortion?

[Rokke]

"I'd like to think President Bush has the power to ignore them."

But you absolutely don't want to think that. Earlier in this thread you said the following, "It was imperative for conservatives to force the withdrawl before the Senate hearings." If you want "conservatives" to force the withdrawal, exactly who are they directing their efforts to before Senate hearings? It can only be the President. And the big threat was that if Bush continued to ignore them, the howls of protest regarding her nomination were only going to get louder. "He CAN'T ignore us. We're his base."

[garv]

If the President was willing to endure the political fallout and continued criticism he could have pushed the nomination. I did not want him to do that and I'm glad the nomination was withdrawn.

My earlier statement was in reference to your assertion that conservative criticism had somehow derailed the constitutional process and that it was hypocritical to deny Ms. Miers an up or down vote.

I am arguing that precisely the opposite is true. If conservative opposition led to her withdrawl it did so within the bounds of the normal political process and, in the end, was to the benefit of everyone. Withdrawl was the only way to avoid two potential bad results. A bad justice for the next 20 years or the political humiliation of the President's nominee being voted down by his own party.

[NittanyLion]

With the exception of the California governor recall, which was a procedural effort put in place with specific guidelines, can you tell me when a petition effort has succeeded in changing the course of events?

Petitions are often one component of a drive toward some goal. They help galvanize opinion, provide people with a sense that they're making a difference, etc. I think it would be difficult to isolate the impact of any petition, but just as in this case there's no doubt that petitions DO have an impact at some level.