From Slate:

Time and Newsweek, Oct. 10

Miers: Both magazines have Web-only takes on President Bush's new Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers. Time notes that a few conservatives reacted poorly because she donated $1,000 to Al Gore's 1988 presidential campaign and because Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid strongly recommended her to Bush. However, the article goes on to note that Miers has had unusual access to President Bush as White House counsel: "Bush knows few lawyers as well as he knows Miers. She has often traveled with him, dodging leaking oil from military helicopters and roughing it in the senior staff trailer at the ranch in Crawford." Calling Miers' stance on abortion "obscure," Newsweek asserts that Bush has successfully managed to dupe the pro-lifers who voted for him. The piece insists that Bush has always supported Roe v. Wade, and now it's "unlikely to be overturned any time soon."

This supports Victor's contention that Bush is really just a pro-business republican in Far Right drag.

I can't see what the political gain is for Bush.

A stalking-horse to exhaust the opposition for the real candidate, possibly. That seems a little Machiavellian even for Rove, however.

Harriet Miers called Bush the most brilliant man she ever met. She has to be rather dim to want to go through this rectal exam with her credentials. Even she MUST know that she's not qualified.

A stalking-horse to exhaust the opposition for the real candidate, possibly. That seems a little Machiavellian even for Rove, however.

That's the only other thing I can think of - but Bush and Mrs. Bush both know and like her. I don't think they'd set her up as a stalking horse. The cronyism is more in character for him, as is the tone-deafness.

Poor woman. After that crushing series of comas...cause I know what "Bush" means and "brilliant" but that's the only way they fit together. Serious brain damage.

Calling Miers' stance on abortion "obscure," Newsweek asserts that Bush has successfully managed to dupe the pro-lifers who voted for him. The piece insists that Bush has always supported Roe v. Wade, and now it's "unlikely to be overturned any time soon."

That's kind of insane given that he's done plenty as head of the executive to further the pro-life agenda.

I think Roe is a lot safer with Rehnquist off the Court. He was a man on a mission for precedents he didn't like.

I'm scouring the web for reaction to the Miers nomination.

My reaction has been along the lines of... Huh? Who? Huh? What's up with that?

I'm not upset that my reaction is deer in headlights, but I want the Dems to do better than that. I really haven't heard much of anything from them.

What I'm confused about is, why didn't Bush nominate someone far-right, possibly anti-abortion, etc. Many conservatives were spoiling for a filibuster-fight with the Dems. Instead, Bush has pissed off many of his supporters.

Bush couldn't afford to take another hit right now. Between Frist and DeLay, the Republicans are on the ropes. He needs a victory right now. The only thing that the Dems can say is that she doesn't have any judicial experience. Which also means that nobody knows what she thinks, so it's hard to attack her.

It may not be the right strategy but there's something to be said for the Dems to sit out for a day or two and let the Republicans devour their own. That way they won't close ranks against a Democratic onslaught.

there's something to be said for the Dems to sit out for a day or two and let the Republicans devour their own

There's a lot of blood in the water right now, and the sharks are moving. DeLay is saying "I have just as much power as ever!" and others are saying, "How fast and how far do we have to go to be clear of the shit that's coming down?"

I can accept that strategy bon bon. I just wish I could believe it was a strategy.