real journalism

With a Wink and a Nod

In a campaign intended to keep the wingnuts from deserting him, Shrub and his minions have spent the last two days assuring them that his nominee for Supreme Court Justice, Harriet Miers, is a true believer just like the Shrub himself.

The selection of this true stealth candidate came as a surprise to everyone, but true to form, cronyism reigns in this administration, and who better to fill this important vacancy with but perhaps the most loyal of his subjects.

And what of Harriet Miers herself? Well, let's try a little amateur psychoanalysis.

Ms. Miers is a never-married, self-described feminist who opposes abortion. For the past decade, she has been everything from Bush's personal attorney to White House counsel. It appears from all acounts that her relationship to the Prez is first and foremost in her life. Perhaps it is her life.

Friends and foes alike express her strong sense of loyalty to the man. Wingnut former White House insider, David Frum, has said of her,

"In the White House that hero worshipped the president, Miers was distinguished by the intensity of her zeal: She once told me that the president was the most brilliant man she had ever met."

Okay, that is perhaps the most frightening statement I've ever heard from a reputedly sane individual. So much so that I would prefer to believe that the woman is less mad...than madly in love!

Think about it. She works day and night with the guy and (to give him his due and his apparent asexuality) he's probably never made any kind of non-professional overture to her. So over the years, her fantasies and admiration have grown into -- as Frum calls it -- hero worship; a hero for whom she would sacrifice anything.

Karl Rove, knowing that in three short years, his reign as President will be over...and always on the lookout for political opportunity, has observed her tendencies and concieves a brilliant plan.

The twin vacancies of The Supreme Court were just the opportunities he needed. The first would have to be someone who was not only an able judge, but one who had an impeccable conservative paper trail. Judge Roberts filled the bill admirably.

But for the second vacancy, he would have the opportunity of a lifetime: the ability to get inside SCOTUS. Deep inside! Who better, then, but a person who had NO paper trail, but had displayed unquestioning loyalty to his wooden protege, the West Texas marionette?

Best of all, no one yet knows what to think about her. Her conservative leanings are well-known, yet when she was announced yesterday, the talking mouths of hate radio and faux television derided the choice as a sign of weakness and an inability to take on the Democrats. This in itself is ludicrous as the Dems have shown little or no spine in the past five years and this didn't seem like the kind of choice that would finally get their backs up.

In fact, the outcry was so uniform that some have suggested that the daily emails that spread like a noxious odor from Rove to Rush to Hannity to Buchanan to Kristol to O'Reilly to Hume and then to the mainstream media executive offices must have outlined the suggested response.

All the while, important statements were being put out by the White House.

Dick Cheney said yesterday on (where else?) the Limbaugh Hatefest, "You'll be proud of Harriet's record, Rush. Trust me. "

"I know her heart," Shrub told a Rose Garden news conference this morning "Her philosophy won't change."

One of the things that totally freaked out the Right Wing Freakazoids yesterday was this statement by Senate Democratic Minority Leader, Harry Reid.

"With so much at stake, we shouldn't rush to judgment about this or any other nominee, but even at this early stage of the confirmation process, I will say that I am impressed by what I know about Harriet Miers."

So what is this about? Who the hell knows? Maybe Reid met her at a White House function and dug her eye shadow. Washington is a strange area where bedfellows can be even stranger.

Nevertheless, I have to believe Bush...this time. She's certainly not going to be an intellectual leader of the Court. Probably more like, dare I say, Clarence Thomas? And Like him, she will probably vote solidly with the Scalia, Thomas et al cartel.

Why? Because more than anything, Ms. Miers won't do anything to upset her Enamorata-In-Chief.

Now...scuse me while I upchuck my lunch. All this talk of love between The Chimp and the spinster has upset my tummy.

posted by mauiloa @ 2:41 PM