He certainly knew wheter or not each person on the short list was willing to serve. Owen and Brown were nixed by Reid. There is no credible evidence that either declined the opportunity.
And if "the story" is true, then Owen and Brown are "out for good." If so, why isn't somebody screaming? Huh? Not them, of course, but that is quite the circumscription on the President's choices, if you ask me.
I believe Bush's main motive was to get a conservative butt on the Court
I have serious suspicions of cronyism. Pains me to say it, but this bonehead move has to have some powerful motivation, 'cause it just isn't making sense as a pick. It's the last reason I want to put forward, and if she was otherwise "qualified" (in the subjective sense), I wouldn't care at all that she was a crony.
The "mistake" Bush may have made was wanting to appoint a woman ...
Puhleeze. I'd go ape-bonkers if it was Owen or Brown. This isn't a gender thing, in the least.
And he is also a savvy politician who calculated that the middle of the road woman's vote is more important to the future of the Republican party that the immediate happiness of your dark side conservatives.
I think he may be using the "trust me" card for political advantage. He's using it with evangelicals too. I have no problem with him limiting his short list to women, but if for whatever reason it get's whittled down to 1, who happens to be his counsel, has been sicen 1994, where she went to SMU a year ahead of Laura? Ahem. There are better -female- picks.
He was probably surprise (I was) by the depth and vitriol of opposition by you all. He was most likely thinking that you may be unhappy now but will start perking up when you see how she votes ...
When she votes is too late. This is a big deal, it is an important deal. You live in the south? You get the house checked for termites before you send the cash over - even if you're buying from your sister.
The dark side folks are most interested in a transparent process, with a person who can be evaluated to see qualities that make for ... well, I won't describe it, I think you know the qualities - everybody pretty nmuch agrees with what we want for performance. The issues are all swirling around the uncertainty inherent in this nominee.
Are you gonna flame me? ;-)
I'm busy now, but if you will tell me who the better female picks are and what bona fides they have that make them superior to Miers, then we might have a discussion instead.
I am going to assume that Owens refused to be roasted again, and Brown was too happy with her new job to want to be roasted again this year, and that Bush was looking at names other than theirs along side Miers.
Who were these top lawyers that were better? I don't know a single name on the purported list of the top 50 woman lawyers in the country.
(I'd never heard of Roberts before 2 months ago, and he is touted as having the finest judicial mind in the country.) I need educating here, so I'm holding my flame fire.