Mehlman is pushing Meirs’s credentials as an apologist for torture, renditions, and the indefinite detention of American citizens. Never mind her position on abortion he says, she won’t micromanage the war on terror. From The Hill:
Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee, yesterday held a conference call with conservative leaders to address their concerns about Miers. He stressed Bush’s close relationship with Miers and the need to confirm a justice who will not interfere with the administration’s management of the war on terrorism, according to a person who attended the teleconference.
And this past weekend, Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff, sought to persuade conservative leaders that Miers was a nominee they could trust if confirmed to the high court. In particular, Rove “worked over” Dr. James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, who is one of the most influential conservatives in the country, according to one conservative leader…
Conservatives began expressing their anxiety about Miers soon after Bush announced her nomination early yesterday morning.
One member of the Senate Judiciary Committee closely allied with the conservative base, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), declined to state his reaction to Miers yesterday…
Mehlman yesterday unveiled a politically powerful argument linking Bush’s nomination to the war on terrorism. He said that as a former White House counsel Miers would know the importance of not letting the courts or the legislative branch “micromanage” the war on terrorism.
But Mehlman deflected questions about Miers’s political contributions and Reid’s endorsement of her, saying that he was not fully aware of what Reid said about her and that the party would conduct further research about her.