Maybe Bush’s choice of his personal attorney, Harriet Miers, for the Supreme Court has less to do with partisan politics and more to do with self-preservation… I don’t know that I believe it, but this theory of investigative reporter Robert Parry is certainly worth considering. Here’s how his article begins…
By picking his personal lawyer Harriet Miers to fill a key swing seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, George W. Bush angered his right-wing supporters, who wanted someone with clearer conservative credentials, and opened himself to new charges of cronyism — a double whammy of bad PR. So why did he do it?
The most common theory is that Bush was looking for a stealth candidate who wouldn’t provoke strong Democratic opposition but would get solid Republican backing — after some wink-wink assurances that she would vote the right way on abortion and other core conservative issues.
That indeed may be the answer. Bush may have just miscalculated how disappointed his conservative base would be and how offended other Americans would be at his straight-faced assertion that his White House counsel was “the best person I could find.”
But there is another theory that would fit the facts. It may be that Bush is less concerned about constitutional issues than he is about criminal and political disputes that might reach the court if the troubles surging around his administration get worse.
What if, for instance, a senior Bush aide is facing prosecution in connection with an untested law prohibiting unmasking covert CIA officers? It might be handy for Bush to have a trusted friend on the court of last resort to rule on some technical legal questions that could torpedo the whole case…
(Thanks to Kathleen for the link.)
11 Comments
On a similar note, I saw that Bush threatened to veto the new defense spending bill because of the measure (term?) that McCain introduced to require our military to comply with the UN prohibitions against torture as well as the Army Field Manual rules for humane treatment of prisoners. Apparently this would be w’s first veto. The senate voted 90 to 9 on this.
It has me wondering what the Bush administration is trying to avoid. Is it possible for the International Criminal Court to try members of an American administration as war criminals? The Bush administration has been fighing to not be under the jurisdiction of the ICC. Hmm…. If w signs the bill, it seems to create a big problem for him – a kind of admission that he was not following the rules. If he vetos it, the implication is that he does not want to abide by the laws regarding torture. Saying that Cuba is somehow exempt is starting to be seen for the BS that it is.
Karl has his job cut out for him this week.
The only problem with this theory is that she would only be one junior justice among 9 and I’m not sure how effective she would be at protecting turd blossom or scooter from a prosecution in the plame case. On the other hand I firmly believe that shrub is just such a completely worthless wanker that he doesn’t give a damn what anybody thinks and wants to reward his buddies while he still can.
To further Sam’s first point, if HM were to rule on such a case without recusing herself, she could almost definitely be impeached. The constitution is somewhat vague on this, and recusing oneself is not forced but voluntary. Still, public pressure would be too great against her participation in such a process.
The dubiously-qualified loyal-to-W nominee is not a rewarded crony but rather a manchurian candidate. W is placing a brainwashed subordinate in the lifetime post so he can continue to wield power after he’s out of office. Harriet Miers has been trained to respond to certain words or symbols that act as a subconscious trigger compelling her to follow W’s every command with no memory of it afterwards. They’ve been working on this lonely, insecure single Dallas city council woman for 20 years and now she’s finally ready.
We’ve got to get word of this to congress so they can test probable trigger words or flash the queen of diamonds at her during the confirmation hearings. Once she’s in the trance Chuck Schumer can quietly slip on a rubber W mask and then stand up and yell “I command you to dance like a monkey!” and this evil scheme will be thwarted.
he’s using high frequency sound waves to control her. High freq. sound is also a main component of the earthquake weapon that he recently weilded to flood NO (to clear out the minorities) and destroy Pakistan (well actually they’re hertzian waves … ontaginal to regular EM emissions). Once the ice caps melts the millitary will have acess to the antartic stargate (remnants of Atlantis).. with this device under their control the leaders will leave earth and populate an “Alpha site” where their way of life and principles of leadership will be assured. I for one am wearing my tin-foil hat from now on to stop the corruption they have set upon the land from effecting me.
I like the idea, Taint. I think you might be on to something. (And, John, if you’re looking to compete with Aardvark Inedible, or whatever his name is, you’ve got to work a lot harder than that.)
Just wait till the neocon mind control machine forces you to vote republican next election Mark, Then you’ll wish you would have lined your hats with foil. I for one hope Virgin Galactic leases the Stargate (not a very well kept secret btw) and uses it for offworld tourism.
Who needs a mind control ray when you have Diebold?
Damn you Mark, you beat me to it, and more pithily I might add.
I had something in mind like, “I didn’t know anyone had to vote anymore for W to win.”.
This may be a little too simple, but is it possible the cons. right hate her because she’s a chick? I can’t figure why they have a problem. Abortion:check, gay marriage:?
Bush is now saying that one of her important qualifications is her religion. That seems more crucial to him than judicial experience. Not all conservatives are gung-ho for theocracy; maybe this is finally ringing their WTF bell.