[atlanta67]

there was an excellent post above that opinioned that conservatives have fallen into the lefts trap.

When Bush doesnt nominate gonzales, the left will scream that the far loony right has picked the nominee.

if anyhting the shrill attacks on gonzales ahve made his nomination more likely, not less

[Miss Marple]

That would be me, and I will emphasize it: by demonizing Gonzalez, the right is making a case against whoever Bush DOES nominate, because the press will label that person as the "tool of the Christian right extremists."

THIS is why the administration is asking everyone to tone down their rhetoric. The groups like Focus on the Family (whom I normally agree with) are playing into the Left's spin.

Far better to contact the President privately and keep mum in public. Too many people are not understanding how the Left and the Press work in scuttling candidates.

[shempy]

Sorry, but I don't see any shrill attacks on Gonzales. No one has accused him of being a child molester or saying he is the son of satan. I see people clearly expressing that he is not the conservative choice that Bush promised.

And he is not.

As to falling into the left's trap, way too late for that. The fact that the GOP wants to hide from our principles demonstrates to me that the trap was sprung years ago.

[flaglady47]

"if anyhting the shrill attacks on gonzales ahve made his nomination more likely, not less"

If Bush were to nominate Gonzales just to get back at those "noisy right wingers" in the Pub Party, then he's not a conservative Republican concerned about the philosophical bent of the Supreme Court and how it will vote in the future. Rather he would be one who would nominate for spite and because Gonzales is his loyal friend. How about his loyal constituency that put him in office? His old man picked a loser (Souter). Bush may be a chip off the old block and do something similar. That's unknown at the moment, but don't knock conservatives for being suspicious of what Bush Jr. might do, as it's been done before by his old man. We'll see, but don't slam your own kind for being worried about where Bush might go. Many think Bush is long on compassion (I see he is giving another gigantic chunk of our taxpayers' money to Africa), and short on conservatism. We'll find out all too soon where he is at philosophically re the Supreme Court nomination. I hope and pray Bush is more concerned about the welfare of his country and his party over his loyalty to an old friend, when that old friend is likely a moderate like O'Connor.