[Politicalities]

By the time you finish reading this column, you will feel calm and euphoria sweeping over you. You will be shocked and awed by the brilliant leadership President Bush has shown with this selection. You will know the Court will be in the best hands possible. You will love Harriet Miers. You will wish you had put her on the top of your short list.

Lies.

In response to Corillo's specific comments:

1. I'm not a Christian, and I don't care about the faith of my judges. I don't want them ruling according to the Bible, I want them ruling according to the Constitution. Of course there have been plenty of great judges with strong faith (and plenty of rotten ones, too), but Miers's faith is neither a qualification nor a disqualification.
2. I don't see Judges Alioto, Luttig, Brown, or Kozinski schlepping books or working the cocktail party circuit, either.
3. I don't care where she went to school. That's not one of the reasons I'm upset about this nomination.
4. I haven't seen Judges Alioto, Luttig, Brown, or Kozinski splashed across the tabloids in drunken frat-boy states, either. Not have I seen a whiff of personal scandal with any of them.
5. I couldn't care less about a judicial nominee's genitalia. Her pair of X chromosomes doesn't make her in the slightest a more attractive (or unattractive) nominee.

I realize that many are concerned about Miers, but I think we need to trust Bush. Every judicial nominee of his has proven to be a solid conservative, and I believe Miers will not spoil that record.

That's not my main concern. Hey, maybe Miers will vote with Thomas every time. I hope so. Maybe she'll be as eloquent and as forceful in her defense of the Constitution. I hope so, but I doubt it. My biggest problem with this nomination, and I think a lot of people share this viewpoint, can be summed up in two words: MISSED OPPORTUNITY. This was a rare chance to put a real powerhouse on the Supreme Court. My personal preference would be for Judge Kozinski, my favorite judge ever, but there were plenty of solid candidates. Indeed, the federal bench is replete with conservative superstars. And every last one of them was passed up for Harry Reid's choice, a woman whose nomination prompted the nationwide rallying cry "Harriet Who??". President Bush could've given us an exclamation point. Instead, he's given us a question mark.

What message does this send to bright young conservative jurists? "If you believe the Constitution means what it says and should be interpreted as such, keep your mouth shut about it. Don't be a highly visible supporter of strict constructionism, or you can just forget about elevation to the High Court, no matter how deserving. Instead, be as obscure as possible, and try to become close personal friends with an ambitious politician.

Bah.

[Howlin]

We'll put you down as yet another pretend writer who the president didn't consult before he nominated somebody.

Bitter. Bitter.

[Treader]

Good post! Baahhh baahhh, indeed...

[hsalaw]

"What message does this send to bright young conservative jurists? "If you believe the Constitution means what it says and should be interpreted as such, keep your mouth shut about it. Don't be a highly visible supporter of strict constructionism, or you can just forget about elevation to the High Court, no matter how deserving. Instead, be as obscure as possible, and try to become close personal friends with an ambitious politician."

Rush said something like this on his show this morning and, much as I enjoy him, I think it's a crock. Unless you believe every conservative judge is conservative ONLY only because he/she is dreaming of being on the Supreme Court, which is obviously nonsense becasue if you believe that, you believe conservatism is something you turn on and off like a faucet. And McCain aside, I don't think it is. Therefore, this is a crock, with all respect to you and Rush.

[LucyJo]

"I don't see Judges Alioto, Luttig, Brown, or Kozinski schlepping books..."
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That would be Supreme Court Justice Breyer blazing new trails on Steponallofus' Sunday morning show! lol.

There were similar "concerns" about Justice Thomas by some, when he was nominated by "41" (he was a "token", and worse). He is an excellent SCJ.

If Miers is as horribly inept as some seem to fear, it will be revealed during the hearings. According to some it will be a plus if she can string together an articulate sentence. I just can't find it in me to believe that this decent, God-fearing, president would bring dishonor on himself, his office, the Supreme Court, and this country by nominating someone that he would know is as unqualified as some seem to think.