Some of us kept trying to tell the Nervous Nellies around here that a constitutionalist judge could be confirmed. There were those who said we needed a Miers type to keep from losing. In truth, any constitutionalist judge who looks decent (an easy accomplishment) and can outperform the Democrats intellectually (a given) can be confirmed in a 55-45 GOP Senate. Brown, Owen, or any of the other supposed lightning rods would have also been confirmed. The public simply will not tolerate the Democrats' abuse as long as our side fights back.
Harriet Miers I still believe was a trial balloon to gauge what the left was thinking. The right already knew that the Miers nomination was going nowhere.
It also took us a couple of months closer to the midterms. Bush is timing all of this to maximize the Republicans chances in 2006. That's why Abramoff is a good thing coming out now.
The Dems are ecstatic that they have Abramoff to trot out in 10 months. Meanwhile Bush is plugging away. Once Iraq is off the table, the Republicans are going to go after the RATS on the Indian Tribes and Abramoff. Won't be good for Dornan and company.
Stay tuned.
Agreed. It was a nice tough when that fat drunk Kennedy accused Judge Alito of being on the government payroll his entire life. Except for the fact that the statement was a LIE. It is Kennedy, in fact, who has been on the government payroll his entire (useless) life.
True, but they are getting Alito to say things like Griswold and privacy are settled matters, one-person one-vote is important Constitutional principle, etc.
In effect, the Democrats have managed to require some amount of caginess and/or genuflection to their concerns, but, in case of Roberts and Alito, without compromising their judicial principles or vision.
This is overall very good for us. A court of 9 Roberts/Alito types would be the kind of court conservatives can live with.
"Brown, Owen, or any of the other supposed lightning rods would have also been confirmed. "
On Brown I am not so sure. What we are seeing is that we learned how NOT to get confirmed: Be combative like Bork. And how TO get confirmed: Be amiable, know everything, and dont rock the boat - Roberts.
JRB is a bit combative and might have gotten some hits on that.
Still, this is very encouraging! Alito will be confirmed with 60-70 votes is my prediction.
Precisely. Miers would have been crucified on competence. Which is a completely legitimate issue.