Unless that Senator explained that the unconstitutional filibuster interposed since Clinton nominated Ruth Buzzie has resulted in Bush nominating someone with a record which is incapable of being reasonably discerned. Tough sell, I acknowledge, but it would fly if a large enough contingent of demonrats voted against her to make it possible for her to be voted down with only a few republican votes. That's about the only scenario I see at this point for discrediting the filibuster (the demonrats would have voted against a nominee from their list). Once the filibuster is discredited, Bush can nominate Robert Bork if he wants to.
Conservatives should be trying to convince democrats that she's a bad choice, not trying to convince conservatives that she is.
"Unless that Senator explained that the unconstitutional filibuster interposed since Clinton nominated Ruth Buzzie has resulted in Bush nominating someone with a record which is incapable of being reasonably discerned."
The fact is that Miers, for all the unknowns and question marks, is a more acceptable nominee than the absurdly out-of-mainstream leftwing Ginsburg.
It doesn't matter what excuses to come up with that Bush nominated Miers, filibuster or no ... What excuses did Clinton have for nominating an ACLU advocate and extremist to the USSC? "Because I could"?
To ask conservative Senators to vote against Miers because 'she's not conservative enough' when those same senators mostly went along with Breyer and Ginsburg is asking for a double-standard wrt a Republican President vs Democrat President.
I want to know why we didn't stand against the Ginsburg nomination, if we now have discovered, in our disappointment about the Miers nomination, that maybe Senators *can* decide to say 'no' over a nominee who just isnt good enough.
I can tell you one thing right now. A "no" vote will not discredit the filibuster. Alas, it will strengthen it, because it will strengthen the hand of the democrats as they make arguments about 'this nomination is for a very serious position, we need high standards' etc. etc.
"Conservatives should be trying to convince democrats that she's a bad choice,"
... and when we've done that, you think they are going to jump for Janice Rogers Brown? I think not!
Bush nominated her, he won't withdraw her.
She will get hearings, she will get a vote.
If Miers goes down in flames, it will set a precedent like the Bork nomination in raising the stakes and the politicization of the overall process.
I said it before. The only good outcome would be if Miers gets confirmed and manages to vote just like Thomas.
The second-best outcome, a quick withdrawal of the nomination and replacement candidate that is solid and conservative, will NOT happen.
Any other outcome will have negative consequences.
JMHO. I am conflicted and see that this has become a true 'quag'-Mier of a nomination.