"All in all, she was just another brick in the wall." Harriet Miers goes back to stonewalling as W's White House Counsel.
Ann Coulter sez: "Her letter today is the most eloquent and powerful thing I've seen written by her." Heh. Indeed.
The nomination lies dead on the floor. Murder on the Orient Express: too many suspects, too many clues -- none leading to Democratic Caucus chambers. Searchlight Harry took down the big pot without ever having to show his cards.
In a trice, Bush has been shot down in bids to place a sycophantic crony on the Supreme Court, upend Davis Bacon in Hurricane Alley, and fund nuclear bunker busters. The White House is now objectively pro-bunker.
With the US Senate feeling its institutional oats, and W's shot selection presumptively in doubt ... what now? Will W find an acceptable winger? Will Dem's F-Bomb trump the GOP's Nuclear Option? (With Deadwood Dick Cheney as triggerman???) Will Bush use the classic lube for a stuck nomination, naming a US Senator? Does Laura get a vote?
This is an Open Thread.
by RonK, Seattle
And just when you thought you had begun to learn the difference between reality, TV, and reality TV: America's Next Muppet
Viewers vote to choose a puppet. In this case, the puppets are actually Muppets, and ABC has ordered a script and five episode outlines for "America's Next Muppet." The premise, The Associated Press reported, is reminiscent of that of "American Idol," in which an audience vote chooses potential new stars.
Maybe not a bad idea for picking SCOTUS nominees, too, eh?
Posted by: emptypockets | October 27, 2005 at 13:36
More Coulter:
"... what happened today demonstrates that the movement conservatives, or the radical right wing as we're being called, is the one with the power in this relationship. ... it would be fine if Bush nominated a wonderful, qualified conservative like Janice Rogers Brown. Even if she's defeated, that is a victory for Republicans."
Posted by: RonK, Seattle | October 27, 2005 at 14:26
How is the Borking of JRB a victory for Republicans? Particularly after they lose the nuclear option vote? Do they expect Specter to pull the trigger for JRB?
Posted by: texas dem | October 27, 2005 at 15:59
The Borking of JRB is a victory in that it proves that the evil liberal elite still rule the country, and you need to send $50 to me right now to help stamp out their reign of terror.
Posted by: Kagro X | October 27, 2005 at 17:19
It's a victory in the "feel good" sense. Bork may be an issue they dredge up now to excite the base, 20 years after the fact, but it sure wasn't a victory at the time.
True wingnuts want the fight even more than they want the results at this point. But implicit in that is the fact that they don't really feel they will lose the fight.
Posted by: Steve | October 27, 2005 at 18:34
Does this mean I'm not getting the fifty dollars?
Posted by: Kagro X | October 27, 2005 at 19:12
Harriet Miers' blog has switched from its normal cheery pink to mourning-black with a single candle burning. sniff.
Posted by: emptypockets | October 27, 2005 at 21:41
"Movement conservatives" believe they win when they win, and they also win when they
(a) punish the party for nominating a squishy Republican, by helping him lose, and
(b) nominate a movement conservative, and lose -- nobly and tragically while proving their instestinal fortitude and spreading their gospel.
They think they only lose when a moderate Republican wins. They credit this strategy for their cumulative success. (In my view, this misinterprets the major arc of 20th century history.)
Not unlike certain netroots "progressives".
Posted by: RonK, Seattle | October 27, 2005 at 23:01