This 'one issue' is the basis fo rmy support of the GOP. SC nominations are by far the most important single event that can happen during a Presidency.
This is too important to swallow a 'trust me' line. If we trust him and we get Souter, the sequel, the GOP majority will take a serious blow in the next election.
The problem, as Dr. Sowell points out, is with the Senate.
I am concerned about other things, however. If the President is perceived as weak, we will have trouble getting other things passed, like permanent tax cuts. I also am concerned that terrorists will use this time to push against us in Iraq and that the left will use it to try to force a withdrawal because of a lack of public support.
If a conservative acceptable to the Miers critics is nominated, we will have a large-scale battle in the Congress. Whether this is a good thing for the country, I do not know. I don't have all of the poll information, security reports, and White House political assessments of the Senate.
We are in a war, and I do not think it helpful to have the President look weak. I would prefer that the blame and perception of weakness fall on those actually responsible...the Senators.
Then again, too much pressure on some Senators could send them into the opposite camp. And some Senators might be defeated in 2006, losing us the majority. While I don't claim that this Senate has been particularly effective, we certainly wouldn't profit from a democrat Senate which would block ALL nominations, prevent needed legislation, and initiate non=stop Senate investigations which would be given heavy coverage on all the TV channels.
This nomination process is not an easy one, and I don't envy the President. Those who think it is simple are not looking at the political consequences realistically.