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Linda Chavez: Bush in A Bubble
Dallas Morning News ^ | 10/20/05 | Former US Labor Secretary Nominee Linda Chavez

Posted on 10/20/2005 8:01:50 AM PDT by gopwinsin04

President George W. Bush is a smart man, but he's in trouble. And no one in his adminstation seems willing to tell him why.

The White House can become a haven for yes-men (and women). Toadyism is an occupational hazard in such a rareified enviornment, and few are willing to risk their own status and power to tell the boss he's making a big mistake.

The flap over Harriet Miers is a perfect example. Apparently, no one has stepped forward to warn the president what a monumentally bad idea he'd come up with when he selected Ms. Miers over dozens of better qualifed candidates.

Karl Rove might have done so in the past, but he's too busy worrying about his fate in the Valerie Plame leak investigation and may have lost some of the presidents confidence for not admitting his role in the leak earlier.

White House Chief of Staff Andy Card has the presidents trust, but he was never demonstrated a willingness to challenge his boss, especially when the president asked him to vet the Miers nomination.

So that left the president to go with his gut, and never look back. And one thing we know about this president is that he doesn't like to admit to a mistake.

Instead of listening to what conservatives are saying about this nomination, the White House strategy is to attack the critics. We are suddenly the enemy: disloyal elitists and sexists, and we really don't represent anyone anyway.

Meanwhile, no one at the White House has the nerve to tell the president that he should be worried when Democratic Senator Harry Reid is more enthusiastic about 'his' nominee that the editors of National Review Magazine.

(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: lindachavez; miers
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To: Redgirl; Stellar Dendrite
When Reid endorsed her I knew the nomination was a mistake.

Here's how you can keep things in perspective: Just remember that the same people who criticized opponents of CAFTA for "siding with the Democrats" are now the ones in support of a judicial pick that the Schumers and Reids think is absolutely delightful.
21 posted on 10/20/2005 8:31:48 AM PDT by Das Outsider (The Federalist Society is bad, mm'kay? Real bad.)
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To: gopwinsin04
I notice that Linda isn't giving her opinion to the President in person
22 posted on 10/20/2005 8:33:17 AM PDT by syriacus (Don't look for medical breakthroughs to be accomplished by pro-abortion or pro-euthanasia doctors.)
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To: Das Outsider
"Evangelical" is a political label"

Not to an Evangelical, conservative Christian. It is our life. The politicians might think it is just a label to use. But, if the Republican party breaks promises it made during the election to acquire votes from the 'Evangelical' Christians, they will find in the upcoming elections we answer to a higher authority than the Republican party and will not vote for those that deceived us in the past.
23 posted on 10/20/2005 8:34:57 AM PDT by glory2
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To: Blood of Tyrants

"I can't believe it either. I don't think ANYONE is unaware of how upset conservatives are over this pick."

The point was that Bush was unaware of the high expectations the conservative base had on his supreme court picks (the Bush bots would have been satisfied if he nominated his dog). Being clueless about the importance of this is inexcusable after the furor over Roberts. MANY conservatives were pissed off at what is STILL a stealth nominee without obvious conservative credentials. Bush then quadruples his problems by picking a crony with no experience, no known positions and no conservative credentials. What the heck was he thinking?


24 posted on 10/20/2005 8:35:06 AM PDT by BadAndy (Back off man, I'm a scientist.)
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To: glory2
Now we are sexists and elitists?

Looters and extortionists too. We can also be cynical, unappeasable, far right vigilante's. Oh yeah, religious bigots ... I almost forgot that one. ;-)

25 posted on 10/20/2005 8:37:52 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: gopwinsin04

Why? It will highlight whether Miers is a good or bad choice, knowledgeable or not. If she's a bad choice, then she'll get voted down, if good, voted in. Of course, you can't predict what posturing both parties will do on the panel. Of course, if she's a bad pick, then Bush will really look bad.


26 posted on 10/20/2005 8:38:16 AM PDT by southernindymom
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To: gopwinsin04

"Apparently, no one has stepped forward to warn the president what a monumentally bad idea he'd come up with when he selected Ms. Miers over dozens of better qualifed candidates."

Linda is obviously a DU plant secretly working to elect Hillary.


27 posted on 10/20/2005 8:39:05 AM PDT by ConservativeDude
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To: gopwinsin04
Agree ... me thinks this president is just a little too full of himself, with the Texas swagger and all. You know the walk (strut) ... like they've been bull riding ... and their balls hurt ... but hey, just got to show off that plate size rodeo buckle ... let'em know why my balls hurt.
This president needs someone, other than Laura (and I'm not to sure about her) to tell him to get his butt in gear and get real.
28 posted on 10/20/2005 8:41:01 AM PDT by BluH2o
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To: Blood of Tyrants
I don't think ANYONE is unaware of how upset conservatives are over this pick.

One defense that is tossed around is that the upset ones, we whiners, are small in number and have no influence anyway. Sometimes is added, "It's a good thing, too."

A few people being very upset does not disrupt the routine operation of the GOP and RNC.

29 posted on 10/20/2005 8:41:09 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: glory2

I don't enjoy being called a sexist or an elitist for being a conservative Republican who finds this a very weak nomination

The people being called elitist were George Will, Ann Coulter, Bill Kristol and other pundits, NOT the general public. This has been taken so out of context it blows my mind. For the record, the pro hearings crowd doesn't like being called "bushbots" either. The rhetoric on this topic has reached a new low IMO.


30 posted on 10/20/2005 8:44:13 AM PDT by HelloooClareece (Another proud member of the Water Bucket Brigade)
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To: Monti Cello; syriacus; Stellar Dendrite; Redgirl
It's not as if Kristol, Chavez, Bauer, Noonan, Levin, Ingraham, among many, many other critics of this appallingly bad nomination, are political novices.

They know the ins and outs of the White House like the back of their hands.

They know it because they have lived it!

The Bushies can continue to ignore their sage advice, and enjoy the plumetting public opinion that will surely accompany their obstinacy.

31 posted on 10/20/2005 8:47:36 AM PDT by Do not dub me shapka broham ("We don't want a Supreme Court justice just like George W. Bush. We can do better.")
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To: gopwinsin04

Next thing you know, and these Bush haters will accuse the President of cozying up to the Klintoons!


32 posted on 10/20/2005 8:49:16 AM PDT by Revolting cat! ("Harriet, we're out of Liquid Paper!")
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To: glory2
The politicians might think it is just a label to use.

And this is what I mean. I referred to myself as a "conservative Christian" until coming to the realization that it was nothing more than a vague, catch-all term that cynical politicians use to describe people that vote certain ways on certain issues.

I think 'Christian' sums it up much better, unless your definition is broken up into liberal/conservative, which is difficult to support scripturally.
33 posted on 10/20/2005 8:49:22 AM PDT by Das Outsider (The Federalist Society is bad, mm'kay? Real bad.)
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To: southernindymom

I concerned about the political impact a disaster of these judicial hearings may have. Don't wanna see a bunch of corrupt Dims up there gloating...


34 posted on 10/20/2005 8:50:33 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
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To: glory2

I don't enjoy being called a sexist or an elitist for being a conservative Republican who finds this a very weak nomination and as an Evangelical Christian am offended by the manipulation of Christian leader (Dobson) to shepherd in the fellow conservative Christians to the Meir's side. We are the ones that worked so hard to get him in office. Now we are sexists and elitists?
***

ITA!


35 posted on 10/20/2005 8:52:32 AM PDT by jdhljc169
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To: gopwinsin04

Oh man, me neither. As it is, if I see one of their faces appear on my TV screen, I either turn the channel, mute it or turn it off. I just wish that the Republicans were more trustworthy! I don't trust the fab 7/14 any farther than I can pitch them


36 posted on 10/20/2005 8:56:07 AM PDT by southernindymom
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To: gopwinsin04
Linda Chavez is another leftist liberal that was disguised as a Republican. She's finally showing her true colors. President Bush seems to be the only real conservative left!

:o

37 posted on 10/20/2005 8:58:21 AM PDT by Black Tooth (The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.)
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To: Black Tooth
Linda Chavez is another leftist liberal that was disguised as a Republican. She's finally showing her true colors. President Bush seems to be the only real conservative left!

LOL...Stop! You guys are killing me, here!
38 posted on 10/20/2005 9:00:01 AM PDT by Das Outsider (The Federalist Society is bad, mm'kay? Real bad.)
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To: gopwinsin04
And one thing we know about this president is that he doesn't like to admit to a mistake.

Oh come on!! This is just another talking point from the DNC. Come on, Linda, you can do better than this, can't you?

39 posted on 10/20/2005 9:03:15 AM PDT by Obadiah (Support Harriet Miers!)
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Comment #40 Removed by Moderator


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