Will a SCOTUS nomination kill the Rove Story?

[napi21]

Will the White House introduce its SCOTUS nominee during the thick of the Plame leak investigation? The Washington Post reports that President Bush may announce his pick as early as this week, rather than next week. That would be a big effort to change the subject -- and might well succeed. It would also "prove" that the White House is not distracted by the Rove controversy, and possibly force Senate Democratic critics to tone it down in the interest of having that much talked about, dignified confirmation debate. Presumably, it would also be a sign that the White House is confident that no other memos or damaging material about the Plame leak will come to light during the SCOTUS debate.

A Rove and SCOTUS-fixated Congress now has two weeks till their August recess, from which they won't return until after Labor Day (and when they do return, the Senate will be absorbed in SCOTUS confirmation hearings). Time to take stock of where the formal Bush agenda and other key items stand. President Bush himself devoted part of his Saturday radio address to calling for the passage of Social Security reform, the energy bill, CAFTA, and the highway bill. He'll make remarks on both CAFTA and the Patriot Act this week, as well as remarks on something called "senior security."

For more: Today's edition of First Read is available now at http://www.FirstRead.MSNBC.com

[skids]

1. Here's how to deal with it.

Tie any discussion of SCOTUS back into Plame. Will the new nominee vote for the WH in any matters concerning the Plame Affair? How do they stand on national secrets? How about the proposed federal sheild law?

[Jack Rabbit]

2. For a few days, it will

I don't think it will permanently.

We may look back at the Watergate scandal as a golden age of press responsibility, but the fact is that other things were happening then, too, and when it was appropriate, the press covered those things. It didn't mean that Watergate fell off the radar.

[BrotherBuzz]

3. It will just move the story below the fold...

But look at the bright side...The rekindling of the Plame affair has killed any talk of the Bolten nomination ...and for good reason considering he may, indeed, be involved. Just where are are those papers the Democrats requested, and why is the Bush* administration stonewalling?

[DU9598]

4. Maybe, but not the investigation

We should know more from the Grand Jury in August or September. Maybe just in time to distract from a confirmation battle if it is another Thomas like appointment.

[BrotherBuzz]

8. Not a bad thought, it'a all about timing...

:thumbsup:

[Terran]

5. Doesn't matter

Plamegate isn't like the Downing Street minutes or any other nasty allegation that's been made about the Bush admin. It's already an investigation with a prescribed life of its own. Being out of the news for a wekk or four will not have any effect on the outcome.

[goclark]

6. People LOVE gossip and Rove is a summer tabloid

His name should be tied in any discussion about the SC ....

After all, this Supreme Court allowed his boss to be placed in office.

[Jim__]

7. The administrationmay just want the confirmation battle over before

the indictments come down. If senior administration officials are indicted; they'll have a far more difficult time getting anything through Congress. Democrats are just obstructionists? Look who they're obstructiong - felons!

[TriMetFan]

9. The only way SCOTUS nomination could slow down Rove Gate is...

if Bush announced that he picked Bill Clinton.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. Who was it? that said they had 'inside' information

that said the WH stonewalled on the Plame investigation because they wanted it to break at the same time the Supreme Court nominations came forward, in HOPES of having the KKKRove/Plame story BURIED buy the Supreme Court story. I don't think the MSM seems to be in the 'mood' to let that happen though. I think they're out to get rid of this cabal. Please let that happen.

[jsamuel]

11. No