Conservatives' Conundrum: Miers Was Not Given a Chance

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | October 30, 2005 | William McKenzie [The Dallas Morning News]

[quidnunc]

One thing's for certain about this Harriet Miers mess: The conservative movement can never, ever play the Bork card again. No more whining about liberals tarring-and-feathering Robert Bork in his 1987 Supreme Court confirmation hearing.

For two decades, conservative activists have droned on about their spiritual leader's defeat in the Senate. They carry him around on their shoulders as proof of how the establishment's out to get them.

Well, forget that nonsense.

No more of that cry-babying, not after what conservatives like writer David Frum and organizations like Concerned Women of America — using National Review magazine and The Wall Street Journal opinion-page megaphones — have done to Harriet Miers in two short weeks.

They've turned a woman whose credentials for the Supreme Court matched or outpaced those of William Rehnquist and Sandra Day O'Connor into the image of a naive, untested first-year law student.

A Texas Republican I spoke with, who knows Miers well, put it best: "I don't know this woman they're talking about."

-snip-

Maybe the power boys and girls on the right like the present state of things, true believers practicing the art of political marksmanship. But I'll bet the rest of the country doesn't. As my Texas Republican friend said, "Washington's a sick place."

-snip-

[jec41]

If the democrats choose to filibuster, a declared Conservative that has publicly stated anti abortion views will be hard to confirm. A Conservative without publicly stated anti abortion would be easier. Democrats rely on the left even more than the Republicans rely on the right. They will have to filibuster to satisfy the left. The nuclear option is far from a sure of even a probably thing. Even though a Senator may support the nominee it is doubtful that most would want to give up their power to filibuster. The Republicans did not have the votes for the nuclear option before and I would be surprised if that has changed. Senators are elected by their states and by in large immune to the wishes or pressure from little known pundits and their followers. It is yet to be seen but the right may have shot themselves in the foot. In her speech of 93 Miers said that women have the right to self determination and that was quickly parlayed in to abortion. Well I would hope that that interpretation of the constitution guarantees everyone the right to self determination. My view of abortion is that I don't approve and that I resent having to support it through government dictates and my taxes. It should never have been a constitution issue and I would hope that it is overturned, however many seek not only to overturn it but institute law that would outlaw it for everyone. Some moral decisions in which people disagree have to be made by the individual and they are responsible for any consequences.

[JohnnyZ]

So you support legal abortion on demand and take a dim view of nominating pro-life justices. What a shock!

[Reagan Man]

Of course Miers wasn't given a chance. She was borked by frustrated conservatives who turned into angry rightwingers. Having said that, I think those early 1990`s speeches that Miers gave and that were released on the eve of her withdrawal, signaled some serious inconsistencies in her so-called package of conservative principles.

She's gone. Let it be. Time to move on.

[Siena Dreaming]

into the image of a naive, untested first-year law student.

Yes. I saw countless comments on this forum slamming Miers as stupid and uneducated.

What a farce.

[jec41]

So you support legal abortion on demand and take a dim view of nominating pro-life justices. What a shock!

If that your interpretation of my post you need to go back to school!

[Valpal1]

Apparently you missed their hijinks and comments in "The Corner" at NRO.

It was truly jr high behavior. I was completely embarassed for the magazine, it has been coarsened like the rest of our culture and that is just too sad.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

Let's just face the facts here. W. did not stick with what got him elected. Miers was not what he had promised us when it came to a Supreme Court Nominee, period. Are we not suppose to hold him to his word? That's just ridiculous!

 

Why in the world is all of this second guessing and pointing of blame going on. I would like to think George is a little more intelligent than this. It was a bad decision to start with. He made an error in judgment. Time to fess up and fix it. I am sure he had the best of intentions, but it fell way short of what we the people had in mind. Why does that make us unfair? Miers flat did not have the credentials for the highest court in the land and the Republican voting base voiced our dismay with his selection. This is how it is supposed to work. End of discussion. Fix it Mr. President, I believe it is part of your job description. If Mires wanted to have the chance to defend herself all she had to do is stick it out. Just how in the world does anyone get she wasn't given the chance for an up down vote? She chose to bow out before the process even got started.

 

As far as everyone thinking it will hurt the conservative movement, that is exactly what the left would like you to believe. I guess I just have a different take on this. I think all that has happened is that we have voiced our opinions and Miers figured out she was in over her head. Some of the rhetoric was over the top, sure, but isn't that just normal in politics these days? Let's face it, if this was all that it took for her to throw in the towel, it proves we were right. You certainly have to have more "metal" than this in order to go thru the confirmation process. I don't know about any of you, but I certainly expect a Supreme Court Judge to be able to look adversity straight in the eye without flinching! Hell I think they should probably be able to dodge bullets! Harriet Miers is well short of this.

[Lester Moore]

In the end, Miers sunk herself by making it almost impossible to base her alleged conservative judicial philosophy on anything more than Bush's word.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

[carenot]

He is weakened.

Because he is weak. :(

[carenot]

Some moral decisions in which people disagree have to be made by the individual and they are responsible for any consequences

Murder is a moral decision against the law.

[deadrock]

If W is weakened, he only has himself to blame for nominating an unproven 'friend.'

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

She was borked by frustrated conservatives who turned into angry rightwingers.

She withdrew herself. Besides, in a card game, nobody wants to get stuck with the “Old Maid.”

[Ol' Sparky]

Get over it. Miers was a lousy choice, there was not a shred of evidence she was a conservative and, now, the opportunity exists for a conservative to be nominated with a proven track record? Who, other than RINOs or Democrats, would have a problem if that happened?

More sour grapes by those that have no clue on how to win the battle and change the direction of the court.

[RobbyS]

Remarks like this just prove his point.

[RobbyS]

That's cute. You say you found this on DU?

[bray]

Do you always shoot the body after it's lynched?? Too bad the "true" Conservatives don't have any class! Pathetic!

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I supported GW for President while he was campaigning for the Texas Governorship...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Too bad the "true" Conservatives don't have any class!

Where did I ever say I was a “conservative,” did you bother to look??? I supported GW for President while he was campaigning for the Texas Governorship... and I lived in California then.

[billva]

Actually as a person who would be considered Conservative and have voted Republican for President all my life, going back to 1960 election, I pretty much agree with this articles premise.

The so called conservative base gave this woman no chance what so ever and it wasn't pretty and damn right it compares to what we were complaining about the liberals doing to our candidates.

I got a new picture of the most conservative people in this situation, and it wasn't pretty.

[RobbyS]

I don't care if you are his brother-in-law. What I object to is all the personal attacks on Miers. What I would like to know is whether she was properly vetted but when the appointment started to draw far some who had promised to support the nomination turned tail and ran. Maybe not. It does look like Bush tried a quarterback sneak and got nailed in the backfield.