WH discreetly seeking "exit strategy" for Miers' nomination

[npincus]

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051021-112953-8355r.htm

They won't go on the record (of course) but it seems senior WH staff have been placing calls to seek advice on "how to do it "(pull Miers nomination). The beginning of the end?



The White House has begun making contingency plans for the withdrawal of Harriet Miers as President Bush's choice to fill a seat on the Supreme Court, conservative sources said yesterday.

"White House senior staff are starting to ask outside people, saying, 'We're not discussing pulling out her nomination, but if we were to, do you have any advice as to how we should do it?' " a conservative Republican with ties to the White House told The Washington Times.

<snip>

A second Republican, who is the leader of a conservative interest group and has ties to the White House, confirmed that calls are being made to a select group of conservative activists who are not employed by the government.

"The political people in the White House are very worried about how she will do in the hearings," the second conservative leader said. "I think they have finally awakened."

[mconvente]

1. This administration of goons keeps going lower

And if you thought they reached lowest point with the Katrina aftermath non-help, wow, how embarrassing to pull a Supreme Court nominee (potentially). I mean, has that even ever happened? Wow, another embarrassment for the worst President in America's history...

[raccoon]

2. This is a no-brainer. She could plead health problems,

or the health problems of a close family member. She doesn't have children, does she? I guess in her case it better be her own health problems.

[acmejack]

5. Hit & run accident.

[raccoon]

12. It wouldn't surprise me. nt

[kentuck]

3. They used up all the lipstick...

and she still looks like a "pig", figuratively speaking.

[personman]

18. ...and eye shadow apparently...nt

[napi21]

4. No surprise, BUT the calls to conservative activists were probably

Fallwell, Robertson, etc. THAT scares me! We all know that second choice is going to be the fillabuster trigger!!!!

[rodeodance]

10. yeah--prob. worse is a coming (most likely) if she withdraws.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

20. Nah-- Bush's next two choices have been Alberto Gonzales

and Consuelo Callahan. Much better than Miers-- and much more qualified, for that matter.

[wryter2000]

11. That's what I'm afraid of

Another stealth "conservative" activist judge like Roberts.

[1monster]

15. Let's just hope that indictments are out before he chooses a new nominee.

And that the indictments cover a prodigious number of top WH people, up to and perhaps naming Cheney and Bush as either indicted or unindicted co-conpirators.

Then O'Connor gets to stay on the Court for some time to come...

[npincus]

17. not a bad prospect

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. Bush is super weak: We win filibuster fight now

And we should fight.

[babylonsister]

6. This again proves the mettle of our 'leaders'.

Sigh. How will they spin this so the blivet doesn't have to acknowledge he made a mistake?

[rodeodance]

7. ah--now that the TX man )Luttle? was released from his pledge.

[rodeodance]

9. looking bad for the WH--if they have to withdraw her--not that I mind.

[Lancer]

8. Douglas Ginsburg, Reagan nominee

withdrew in 1987 because he'd smoked pot. (Which is now a requirement for hire at the FBI. Just kidding.)

Abe Fortas, LBJ nominee for promotion to Chief Justice withdrew his name in 1969. (Securities violations and kickbacks.)

Good (and liberally biased) site that lists the outcome of all the failed nominations:

http://dimer.tamu.edu/simplog/archive.php?blogid=3&pid=1993

[DebJ]

13. those were nominees withdrawing their own names, right?

[0007]

14. John Cornyn the most inept Senator in the U.S. Senate has this to say

about Harriet Miers, ROTFFLMAO. Of course Cornyn runs stiff competition with Jeff Session and Rick Santorum for top honor.

"One of the few on Capitol Hill who doesn't need convincing of her qualifications is Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican. He has known Miss Miers for 15 years and has been her most vocal supporter.
"When you take a look at Harriet Miers' career, what you see is a lawyer who has a breadth of legal experience unmatched by any justice currently sitting on the Supreme Court," he said yesterday. "She has tried cases, she has taken depositions, she has counseled clients, she has argued appeals."
Yesterday's calls from the White House, however, raised concerns about whether the nomination will last.
Leaders of several social conservative and pro-family interest groups have been conferring by telephone over whether to push hard for the withdrawal of Miss Miers' nomination.

Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Republican, said Miss Miers needs a "crash course" in constitutional law.

If there is a hearing I will not miss a minute. It should be great comedy. I almost feel sorry for Harriet!

[Vickers]

16. This administration is not exactly known for their great exit strategies

Unless you count the "hell no, I'm not going to Vietnam" ones. :eyes: