Posted on 10/20/2005 1:27:08 PM PDT by Stellar Dendrite
The Miers Support Team: Gloomy and Demoralized Now they’re discussing stopping her visits to the Senate.
Strategists working with the White House in support of the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers are becoming increasingly demoralized and pessimistic about the nomination's prospects on Capitol Hill in the wake of Miers's meetings with several Republican and Democratic senators. On a conference call held this morning, they even discussed whether Miers should simply stop visiting with lawmakers, lest any further damage be done — and so that time spent in such get-acquainted sessions will not cut into Miers's intensive preparation for her confirmation hearing.
The strategists discuss issues on a twice-weekly conference call led by Leonard Leo, the executive vice president of the Federalist Society who has taken leave to help the White House shepherd the nomination through the Senate. A number of people who have taken part in the calls described the conversations to National Review Online. None wanted to be identified, because they do not want to openly oppose the White House or defy loyalists like Leo who are trying hard to defend Miers. Nevertheless, they paint a grim portrait of morale among those close to the nomination.
"The number of participants is declining," says one knowledgeable source. "With Roberts, these calls occurred five or six or seven times a week. Pretty early on, the calls on Miers were scaled back to twice a week. That says something in and of itself."
"It's been a gradual descent into almost silence," says a second source of the calls. "The meetings with the senators are going terribly. On a scale of one to 100, they are in negative territory. The thought now is that they have to end....Obviously the smart thing to do would be to withdraw the nomination and have a do-over as soon as possible. But the White House is so irrational that who knows? As of this morning, there is a sort of pig-headed resolve to press forward, cancel the meetings with senators if necessary, and bone up for the hearings."
"They are going to be keeping the meetings that they've already scheduled," says a third source. "But they have scheduled murder boards today from 12 to 5. She has to focus on her hearing. And the questionnaire that wasn't filled out, to me that's an indication [the White House] hasn't done the vetting. She has to spend a lot of time discussing stuff that should have been done before. So between those two things — finishing the questionnaire and preparing for the hearing, which is going to be make or break — they prefer to put her time into that."
"In the early days, there were people on the call who tried to give facile defenses of Miers, and they were immediately shot down," says a fourth source. "And by the way, those defenses weren't as insulting as the White House line — no way would they have done the 'sexist, elitist' line."
In summary, says the first source, "People have been looking for ways to support this. There are a lot of us who would like to find a reason to be encouraged. Every time I try to accommodate myself to this nomination, folks at the White House say idiotic things that piss me off, like that spin on Rove's part about her supposed deep involvement in judicial selection for three years, which is just not accurate."
"Demoralization and pessimism?" the source continues. "That's been a constant. We're in the various stages of grief."
"Daddy Bush had the same stubborn streak when he was in the WH."
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Yes, he stood by Clarence Thomas when he was being called a "token".
"Miers will just invoke the Ginsberg rule and refuse to answer any questions about issues that might possibly come up before the court in the future."
ive made this point time and time again, as well as bork and others. it doesnt matter-- the 'wait for the hearings' mantra marches on.
we know better though.
I would like to hear from anyone who started out on the Miers bandwagon but has now jumped off. If that describes your situation, please tell us why and what tipped you off.
Also...I'm still not convinced that we are really in melt down here. I think the pro Meirs people are just fed up and not going to bother with us anymore. You can only hurl invective for so long.
Intriguing...
Remember that Rope-a-Dope Theory? (Anchoress)
http://theanchoressonline.com/2005/10/18/remember-that-rope-a-dope-theory/
Good question. With no personal insult meant to Miers, it was definitely a penthouse-to-outhouse move by the Bush administration.
The worst part is that the GOP senators will vote for confirmation just to be loyal to the party and avoid a party civil war.
If Miers makes it to the hearings, it will depress a significant part of the GOP base for the 2006 elections. The democrats must be envious - they couldn't dream of crafting a better wedge issue.
We do not know if Roberts was a wise choice, and I highly doubt that he was. He is a brilliant man, and well qualified, but whatever else we do not know.
But let me ask this: why would the White House be willing to go so far as to denigrate conservatives in the most vile terms, and to be willing to put up a super fight for a family retainer, a self-promotor, an opportunist, a mediocrity, but would not be willing to put up a fight for a well respected Originalist?
Here is the answer: because the President does not want an Originalist on the court. He wants a go along, dont change a thing, "compassionate constitutionalist," a kinder, gentler jurist.
I think she is being "misunderestimated" by a lot of people.
im not buying that-- why would you use the rhetoric of the left "sexist, elitist" and also "cynical" etc against your own base if this were merely a head fake?
A person of such sterling character as Bush assures us Miers has, would have withdrawn gracefully long ago.
This one was just off cooking up the sauce for some Texas sized burritos.
You know, if she turns out to be what Bush says she is, you guys are going to look real silly.
I figure the matter will probably be determined within an hour of the Judiciary Committee's first question.
Gotta go stir the pot.
On what basis should Bush be considered a conservative ?
The Federal Deficit ? Immigration ? The size of Government and spending ? Our trade deficit and trade agreements ? He makes Truman and Kennedy look like Freepers.
Do you believe that she will actually answer any questions that will be revealing?
The only thing will be able to determine is whether she is a good public speaker.
LOL! A lot truth in that statement...
That's me. These threads are nothing but the same stuff, over and over, in different guise. But, each thread provides another forum for the antis to trot out and demand that Miers step down or that Bush take her down.
If she fails to convince GOP Senators that she deserves to be on the SC, she will be voted down, and Bush will appoint someone else, though I don't think he'll be in any big hurry.
The ball is in her court.
Meanwhile, there's other things to talk about.
What many of us have been saying since the beginning BUMP!!
See, CD. Here is a personal attack on Miers herself. This dipwad has no idea about Miers' personal traits, but, since there's nothing left that will grab attention, may as well start rippin' on Harriett.
Virtually no one has anything good to say about her except the President and what he and her support group manage to say turns out to be pathetic attempts on her behalf.
The questionaire is labled as pathetic and insulting. She is getting hammered by many Senators and most conservatives. She has a deaf ear or is in denial.
Why would she put herself through this misery? Why would the POTUS allow her to be treated so badly?
None of this makes sense to me and unless she SHINES like a supernova at the hearings her nomnination is doomed. At the moment it seems from all who know that she is going to be humiliated in front of the entire nation.
The whole sorry scene is very SAD and totally unnecessary.
"Here is a personal attack on Miers herself. This dipwad has no idea about Miers' personal traits, but, since there's nothing left that will grab attention, may as well start rippin' on Harriett."
Good point... She has great credentials, but for some reason people love to tear her apart. She never would have been nominated is she wasn't a solid pick.
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