NYT: G.O.P. Aides Add Voices to Resistance Over Nominee

[highplainsdem]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/12/politics/politicsspecial1/12confirm.html

G.O.P. Aides Add Voices to Resistance Over Nominee
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: October 12, 2005

As the White House seeks to rally senators behind the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet E. Miers, lawyers for the Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee are expressing dissatisfaction with the choice and pushing back against her, aides to 6 of the 10 Republican committee members said yesterday.

"Everybody is hoping that something will happen on Miers, either that the president would withdraw her or she would realize she is not up to it and pull out while she has some dignity intact," a lawyer to a Republican committee member said.

All the Republican staff members insisted on anonymity for fear of retaliation from their supervisors and from the Senate leaders.

At two stormy meetings on Friday - the first a planning meeting of the chief counsels to Republican committee members and the second a Republican staff meeting with Ed Gillespie, the former Republican Party chairman who is helping to lobby for the nomination - committee lawyers were unanimous in their dismay over Ms. Miers's qualifications and conservative credentials, several attendees said.

<snip>

[tanyev]

1. Oh, this is getting fun.

[Atman]

2. I still fear we might be getting snowed

We're all so thrilled to see them supposedly eating their own. But the ALWAYS stick together like this. Why is this new? Same shit, different talking point.

I hope I'm wrong, but Harriet is a right-wing fundie and they know it. Why would they give a flying fuck if she's Bush's lap-dog, as long as they got their anti-abortion vote?

[KittyWampus]

3. how many times does it have to be laid out for you? Fundies Are DEMANDING

external validation. They're sick of being spoken to in code. They're sick of meeting in seedy hotel rooms and then abandoned the night after each election.

They want a RING, dammit.

[0007]

22. It may be rope a dope game, I have my fingers crossed.

[keopeli]

4. I think she might have been a decoy so Bush* could kill time

I think he knew she won't win. I think he doesn't mean for her to win. I think Repubs (and even Dems) know this.

I think Repubs are sounding off to make their base think they're big zealous religious supporters.

I think Bush wants to hold off on nominating another justice because:

a)October is going to be a very bad month for him
b)Rove wants all the PR of a Scalia-like nomination to rally AFTER all the indictments and stuff come down, so that the bounce in the polls will last.

Basically, he asked his WH lawyer to buy him another 2 months by fronting as the nominee. Hell, she may have even suggested it.

[KittyWampus]

5. you give them too much credit. If the GOP capitulates to the Fundies now

they will be tarred as extremists. Moderates in the voting public do not like extremists.

[keopeli]

10. Bush and Rove are the GOP.

Their issues are the GOP's issues.

Also, much of the GOP would be perfectly happy capitulating to the Fundies (about 40% who are socially conservative).

They've been planning for these vacancies for a long time and they know just exactly what they are doing. I'd be willing to believe that the GOP behind closed doors has planned this little rebellion for any of a number of reasons, such as news distraction from the coming indictments.

They are careful in how they control the news. Any information released directly by the WH is suspect, in my opinion; and a Supreme Court appointment is like the WH giving birth. This is exactly what they want it ot be.

[aquart]

6. No, he really wants her on the Court.

Because her only loyalty is to him.

[keopeli]

9. I agree with you only if Bush really thinks he'll ever be the subject of

litigation. However, I don't believe this to be true.

Notice I say he "thinks" he'll be the subject. This would trump all other issues for him.

Otherwise, I bet he has many issues he feels strongly about with which she concurs with him.

[Maine-ah]

20. I think they're trying reverse psychology.

and considering the track record of current dems, it will probably work.

[Gman]

7. More popcorn, please

:popcorn:

[grytpype]

8. HPD, love your posts but could you not use all bold type?

It's harder to read. Keep posting!

[highplainsdem]

11. Sorry -- I wasn't sure how to do the indented block quote,

but I have it figured out now. :)

[Judi Lynn]

12. G.O.P. Aides Add Voices to Resistance to Miers

G.O.P. Aides Add Voices to Resistance to Miers


By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: October 12, 2005
As the White House seeks to rally senators behind the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet E. Miers, lawyers for the Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee are expressing dissatisfaction with the choice and pushing back against her, aides to 6 of the 10 Republican committee members said yesterday.

Miers "Everybody is hoping that something will happen on Miers, either that the president would withdraw her or she would realize she is not up to it and pull out while she has some dignity intact," a lawyer to a Republican committee member said.

All the Republican staff members insisted on anonymity for fear of retaliation from their supervisors and from the Senate leaders.
(snip)

Another Republican aide close to the committee said, "I don't know a staffer who approves of this nomination, anywhere. Most of it is outright hostility throughout the Judiciary Committee staff."
(snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/12/politics/politicsspecial1/12confirm.html
(Free registration required)

[CoffeeCat]

13. That's just what Junior Coke Jaw wants...

...he gets a high--knowing that he makes decisions that rile people.

It makes him feel like a big, important boy.

He's a little imp and he'll dig his heels in deeper, the more people protest.

He's got a point to prove, don't ya know. He's the boss and no one tells him what to do!

That's what we get, when we sElect an insecure, dry alcoholic with multiple business and academic failures under his belt.

It's not fun having "Chet" from "Weird Science" ruling the planet.

[napi21]

14. IF this is true, I'll be interested to watch if they vote her out of

committee. Let's see if the arm twisters are really any good!

[Divernan]

15. Miers starry eyed over W, but wouldn't know "stare decisis" if it bit her

on her Texas butt. She is woefully unqualified for the job, and it is one of Bush's most arrogant slaps in the face to this country to appoint her. It also reveals his contempt for the rule of law. I have always said that he went for an MBA instead of a law degree because in law school there is blind grading of tests, so you can't pressure professors re grades because of "who's your daddy", whereas at Harvard MBA program, he could slide through in spite of his mediocre abilities and snide contempt for learning.

[Laelth]

21. Just for the record ...

... another reason why * pursued an MBA and not a law degree was because he couldn't get in to law school.

Page Keeton, then dean of the University of Texas Law School, wrote one of the people who had supported Bush's application: "I am sure young Mr. Bush has all the many amiable qualities you describe, and so will find a place at one of many fine institutions around the country. But not at the University of Texas."

That's from Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush by Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose.

-Laelth

[yellowcanine]

16. Huh - Well she can't withdraw to "spend more time with her family". Does

she have an elderly mother or aunt who needs her attention?

[gilpo]

17. This is all bull

The christofacists and neocons love this choice. Any right-winger that says otherwise (Coulter, Dobson, et. al.) are liars. Shrub has indicated that Miers will toe the line on all the "conservative" issues. She is not smart/creative enough to do otherwise. This is all part of the big head-fake. Make the Dem's think they don't liker her.

[warrens]

18. We should not say one word about Harriet

If she gets approved, there are going to be a lot of new Bush haters. If she doesn't, Smirk has egg on his face, and a lot of new Bush haters. We can't lose.

[sofa king]

19. I disagree. The one word is PLEASE!

As in "PLEASE get her under oath before the Senate!" Miers has crucial insight into the criminal machinations of this regime. Put her on the stand. Make her deny it all.

Then, when the rest of these bastards are against the wall and we have our country back, we can impeach her for perjury and put a qualified justice in her place. We can take one off the board for the criminals and hopefully score one for the good guys.