Building a Supreme Team...

Re(1): 'Do You Trust Him?', www.hughhewitt.com, Hugh Hewitt
Re(2): 'The Miers nomination: a safe play from Dubya's standpoint', www.beldar.blogs.com, Beldar

UPDATE (2005/10/04 0822): How many Brahmins do you want???

Like most conservatives I was waiting for the name L-U-T-T-I-G to emanate from the lips of our faithful servant and President.

Harriet Miers – Who the h*ll is that!!!

A quick read of the conservative blogs provided some understanding but an awful lot of hot air. Those who do not know her wanted a big name and an Armageddon. Those who do know her expect her to be a fine justice that brings much to this Court. Here are my first impressions:

1. Mrs. Miers will bring balance to an Ivory Towers Supreme Court. While Chief Justice Roberts is a good man, with a fine judicial temperament, my one concern is that those who occupy that rarified air forget what the rest of us breathe. Mrs. Miers will present the ‘common’ reality of ‘common law’ interpretations by the Supreme Court. She will force the unintentional consequences of Supreme Court action to be intentional. Based on Beldar’s post, it is apparent that she has spent the better part of her lifetime battling those consequences.
   
2. Mrs. Miers was selected based on actions known to the President. She was not interviewed; she answered the President’s questions over the span of a decade or more. She answered his questions without being coerced to sell herself. There is no doubt in the President’s mind as to how she will function on the Court. There is no doubt in my mind how she will function on the Court.
   
3. The confirmation hearing process will be de-Borked. She will have to answer questions posed by both Senators Leahy and Hatch, by Durbin and Sessions, and by Feinstein and Kyl. She will not pass through the Judiciary Committee without presenting her case to all Senators on that committee. Much like President Bush shaking the status quo on illegal immigration, the nomination of Harriet Miers forces controversial issues to the forefront. Issues that to this point are mere talking points and stalking horses. That dance is done, that song is over. Chief Justice Roberts was the last and best dancer to that tune. I commend the President for this.

I believe the Conservatives who have fought for three decades to groom ideas and nominees were understandably flummoxed. President Bush did not call their ‘closer’ into the game. Instead, I think he looked at the current, and near future, chemistry of the Court and made an incredibly difficult decision. He freaked his base, but provided a grounding to his United States Supreme Court.

Enjoy the political season…

Enjoy his third pick…

UPDATE (2005/10/04 0822):
Bush to Conservatives - How many Brahmins do you want on the Supreme Court? I think we have enough Constitutional scholars; it might be time to select someone from the real world...