Herein lies the strategery. I still contend that nominating Miers was designed to take abortion and religion off the table at the Alito hearings. The RATS didn't complain about Miers pro-life stance so how can they complain about Alito's?
Bush wants this confirmation to be about the law, period. And now he has that fight.
I feel really, REALLY good about Alito's nomination this morning, as good as I felt about HM's withdrawal last week. Ever since the election last Nov 2, 2004, we conservatives & Christian evangelicals have had very little to cheer about from Bush or the GOP.
But right now, I'm not very worked up about why Bush didn't nominate Alito in the first place, even though I wish he had (or Janice Rodgers Brown REALLY REALLY would have been great as well). However since you bring up the subject I think it was more or less a bone headed misconception on President Bush's part trying to slip a stealth nominee in and avoid a fight with the DemonRATS. Most conservatives rallied against HM nomination, and thankfully she withdrew and finally we have the constitutional battle with the DemonRAT B@$t@#ds and RINO's that we have needed & wanted for 30+ years.
There's also a very good article in Human Events Online that has a lot of merit as to why President Bush went with Harriet Miers in the first place.
"Misoverestimated-- Just too Clever" http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=9979
Thanks for the link!
GWB got to appoint the Chief Justice, and now will appoint another justice; both, alas, are replacing conservatives, rather than the scummy shills who are far too numerous on the Court.
However, he'll be on the job for another 3 1/2 years, so it's possible that he'll get still another appointment. Or two.
bttt