Bush could have rejected her appointment to the commission. You are right that the Dems named some and the Republicans named some, but there was a list of alternates and Bush had final say and could refuse to appoint someone who had been part of the problem. Another Dem would have slid right in. For what it’s worth, I think her appointment was a result of really, really bad staff work. Bush was in Texas while she was working in the Clinton administration and may or may not have known of the role she played in the disaster. But his staff certainly should have known. I sat through about 3/4s of the public hearings in that echo chamber in Hart. It was clear there was some serious butt-covering going on. And as for her, anyone with an ounce of personal integrity would have declined to sit on that commission.
And as for her, anyone with an ounce of personal integrity would have declined to sit on that commission.
It is amazing how often we think that about the Democrats. They are always consistent and it is not on the side of honesty and decency. But like Lucy and the football, we always expect them to do the right thing and we are always disappointed.