BUSH REJECTS

NOBODY SHOULD BE SURPRISED George Bush rejects calls to withdraw the nomination of Harriet Miers. [story]  Anybody who thinks Bush will take calls from anyone saying something different from him should just hang up now.  For those who don't have unlimited minutes on their calling plans, Bush doesn't listen to anybody, except maybe god and god probably needs call waiting.

The president made it clear yesterday that he has no intention of backing down. Asked about the calls to withdraw the nomination, he said, "No, she is going to be on the bench, she'll be confirmed. And when she's on the bench, people will see a fantastic woman who is honest, open, humble and capable of being a great Supreme Court judge." [WaPo]

FANTASTIC  That is Harriet Miers's chief qualification.   She is also exceptionally qualified.  Miers has had a distinguished career.  She is accomplished.  Because the President has called her so.  Scott McClellan repeated the  new propaganda yesterday, but nobody is convinced.  Not at all.  And then there are the Democrats.  The president seems to be talking to himself a lot lately.  It's the only time he listens.  At what point are people going to do what is called for?  It is time to admit the President has disconnected his line from reality.

SO WHAT IS NEXT?
Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice sees polarization coming forward and the fallback to  the G. Harold Carswell mediocre people need representation too days.  The Heretik now sees the best we can hope for is that Bush becomes more mediocre.  And the truth about Miers is she is exceptionally mediocre.

ARE WE TO LOOK FORWARD to Bush appeals to a god above to increase the appeal of Miers here below?  Professor Bainbridge calls that a mistake.  In a nation where more than half the people polled say they believe in god and on the next question more than half the people say they don't go to church, Bush again shows he is willing to unite people in their division.  His problems will continue to multipy to the point where people will say some subtraction of other Republicans would be a nice addition to the Congress to be elected in 2006.  Such Republicans may not want to be known as Bush rejects.

UPDATE: In today's national White House radio address,George Bush struck a bold new note on Miers:

This week, I nominated an exceptional individual to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court of the United States. Harriet Miers is a remarkable woman and an accomplished attorney.

THE HERETIK NOTES you can expect to hear a lot more about the remarkable career of this accomplished individual, an exceptional attorney. Or you may hear about the exceptional career of this remarkable individual who is an accomplished attorney. Support Harriet: The Mix and Match Miers. 

BORKED BY BORK How bad do you have to be to called a disaster by  Robert Bork?  And how will she likely base her decisions according to Bork? 

So that—I’m afraid she’s likely to be influenced by factors, such as personal sympathies and so forth, that she shouldn’t be influenced by. I don’t expect that she can be, as the president says, a great justice.

The Pessimist of The Left Coaster offers the understatment everyone is thinking: Damn! The pot really is being called black by the kettle!

THE HERETIK SEES the Democrats in an odd position, some supporting the President's nominee more than Republicans.  If Miers withdraws or gets rejected, someone less appealing could well take her place.  But if Miers were to succeed, she would be a most friendly voice in support of Bush's unbridled executive power.

Comments

[Steve Bates]

"Fantastic"? "Exceptionally qualified"? I want to know... what happened to "fabulous"? Bush has used it before; why not now? Is Miers not "fabulous"? I couldn't support anyone who is not "fabulous"!

[The Heretik]

Miers was fabulous, and most likely will be again soon.

[Paul Hooson]

Help Wanted: Supreme Court Justice. No prior judicial experience required. On the job training provided. Call George at 202-456-1111.