Miers withdrawals as nominee for U.S Supreme Court

[SevenSeasJim]

I must say that I am somewhat surprised by this.

Miers withdrawals as nominee for U.S Supreme Court

Last Updated Thu, 27 Oct 2005 10:14:52 EDT

CBC News

Controversial U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers has withdrawn her nomination after weeks of criticism over her qualifications for the role.

White House counsel Harriet Miers listens to President Bush in the Oval Office at the time of her nomination, Monday, Oct. 3. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Miers said in a statement her nomination "would create a burden for the White House and our staff that is not in the best interest of the country."

President George W. Bush has "reluctantly" accepted her letter of withdrawal, White House officials said.

Miers, who most recently served as Bush's White House counsel, was nominated less than a month ago to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

But she has been widely criticized since her nomination, notably by some conservatives who said she lacked the necessary legal credentials and a record of conservative judicial philosophy on issues such as abortion and affirmative action.

Others accused Bush of cronyism.

Bush blamed her withdrawal on Senate pressure on the White House to release internal documents concerning Miers.

"It is clear that senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House – disclosures that would undermine a president's ability to receive candid counsel," Bush said.

Miers also noted efforts by the Senate for White House records.

"I have been informed repeatedly that in lieu of records, I would be expected to testify about my service in the White House to demonstrate my experience and judicial philosophy," she said in the statement.

"While I believe that my lengthy career provides sufficient evidence for consideration of my nomination, I am convinced the efforts to obtain executive branch materials and information will continue."

[Basher]

I heard this is Bush's second choice:

[Guest Low Roller]

It needs to be this guy:

[AD]

I'd nominate this fella

[timouse]

I must say that I am somewhat surprised by this.

me too...i was turning it over in my head after hearing it on the cbc. does this mean that the good guys are slowly gaining control in the states, and that the repuglicans are on their way out? or maybe they've finally figured out that shrub is a lame duck and we'd all be better off if he's kept away from the levers of power...

i dunno. i am glad that another yahoo has been kept off of the supreme court. maybe she does indeed know some really bad things about the bush administration, and the bushies are afraid that she'll tell

[d_rawk]

Miers was forced out by the republicans -- the dems were ho-hum on this appointment (actually, I suspect that they were secretly ecstatic, but trying desperately not to let on), but the republicans were out-of-their-minds-insane-frothing-at-the-mouth-ready-to-murder-the-first-person-they-saw mad about it. It isn't the good guys gaining the upper hand, it's the "conservative republican base" demanding someone who is guaranteed to be more sympathetic with their views and willing to take those views to the bench. Bush has a lot of pie on his face right now, and whoever he selects to take her place is going to have to be much scarier to anyone moderate or to the left of moderate.

I'm not sure that Miers was a yahoo. We can't know, because she has no real public record on matters of adjudication or matters constitutional (which is precisely the source of the debate surrounding the need for a release of internal executive documentation and the general dissatisfaction of senators of all stripes about having to make an assessment without any material upon which to base such an assessment). Whoever takes her spot will most certainly be a yahoo, because it was the very fact that we couldn't guarantee that she was a yahoo that lead to the need for her to withdraw.

[timouse]

Whoever takes her spot will most certainly be a yahoo, because it was the very fact that we couldn't guarantee that she was a yahoo that lead to the need for her to withdraw.

eeeh.

thanks for the clarification...having said all that i can't wait to see who they parade out next...

Edited October 31, 2005 by Guest
spelling....

[peipunk]

Bush taps conservative favorite for Supreme Court

President Bush today nominated Circuit Court Judge Samuel Alito -- a favorite of conservatives -- to replace retiring Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court. But Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer panned Bush's choice. "It is sad that the president felt he had to pick a nominee likely to divide America instead of choosing a nominee in the mold of Sandra Day O'Connor, who would unify us."

[d_rawk]

A Look at Alito's Legal Career

So far, it seems to me that Bush has done as well as he could here. He wanted to avoid a fight with the Democrats with his appointment of Miers, but ended up in a fight with the Republicans instead - including some of his previous unconditional supporters like Canada's own David Frum.

Now he's bound to get a fight with the Dems, but I'd be surprised if this appointment doesn't make it through. The right-wing is happy, the centre won't find a whole lot to be upset about, and the left knows that it could have been a lot worse if Bush wasn't fighting so many other battles on so many other fronts right now and had the energy or resources to devote to a more protracted fight for a more controversial nominee.

This is very quickly going to become about abortion, no doubt. But Alito's record on abortion has been relatively nuanced, as far as American politics go.

He's certainly more conservative than Miers, but seems - so far! - less insane than say Scalia. It would've been nice to see another O'Connor on the bench, but sadly, there is just no way.

[Vermontdave]

This nomination is nothing but throwing red meat to the starving hyenas. W seems to have had an epiphany when he realized that those from his 'base' rejected his appointment of Meirs. His numbers are way down, his chief captains are under increasing scrutiny (if not indictment), and the reliable right-wing Christo-facsists were screaming bloody murder. Might as well toss'em a bone.

-Mounting casualties in Iraq with no end in sight? Big deal.

-Increasing erosion of the middle class? Who cares?

-Creating a culture of fear and persecution? Now we're getting warm.

-Making sure the various homo, flag burning, America hating, lefty bomb-throwing, abortion loving, enemies of Gods' chosen land (possibly with the exception of Israel) will finally be put in their place? That's the ticket.

peace

[d_rawk]

This nomination is nothing but throwing red meat to the starving hyenas

Absolutely. Totally agree. I'm just glad that he didn't choose to throw a fleshier, bloodier chunk of red meat.

Conservatives have been waiting for this for a long time. The Republicans control not only the executive but both levels of congress. Many US conservatives have indicated that they've been silent on issues that have annoyed them (the bungling of the war in Iraq, granting amnesty to illegal immigrants, etc..) and backed the president where they otherwise might not have because they have been waiting for this issue. This is a once in a lifetime -- once in multiple liftimes -- opportunity to change the balance of power of the supreme court. Anything less than blood isn't going to placate them, and there is no way around them being placated.