I’ve kind of neglected the news swirling around Harriet Mier’s nomination to the Supreme Court the last little while because the Republicans are doing such a good job of shooting her down – as are prominent Democrats, but I find these latest demands from Senator Specter interesting:
1) He wants Miers to answer questions about Bush’s Gitmo policy, specifically the policy of indefinite detention.
2) He wants assurances in writing that she’s a conservative.
We can expect Miers and the White House to stonewall on the first request – claiming executive privilege. But, how will she get away with not putting pen to paper and writing “I’m the best conservative ever!”?
Meanwhile, more GOPers are jumping ship and asking for Mier’s withdrawal.
Three GOP officials said they no longer felt certain that Miers’ troubled nomination would survive as long as the Nov. 7 target date for hearings, and that a withdrawal was not out of the question. They spoke on condition of anonymity, noting that the administration’s official policy is one of strong continued support for the president’s pick.
A conservative group that had given Miers the benefit of the doubt changed positions on Wednesday. Concerned Women of America, which had so far supported Bush’s judicial nominees, urged the president to withdraw her nomination.
Today was the day Miers had to submit her do over on her questionnaire. I wonder who she got to help her with that since she failed so miserably with her last one.
What’s an embattled president to do? Squirm. A lot. I hope.