I'll admit, that there was a very large part of me that was looking forward to following the hearings.
On the other hand, maybe this'll embolden the Democrats and centrist Republicans to actually /challenge/ the next nominee. I have every expectation that it'll be a highly-qualified and deeply scary sort of person.
See, the Idiot-In-Chief should have been looking for an O'Connor successor, and he instead nominated the appropriate replacement for Clarence Thomas: an utterly unqualified political hack and ideological toady. No wonder it didn't work out.
Before you gloat about this, think about the fact that she was rejected because the Rs didn't think she was sufficiently rabidly conservative, and the proximate excuse for the withdrawal is that W has to protect his insane claims of executive privilege. I'm hearing that it was unacceptable that, since W wouldn't release any records of her tenure at the White House, she was going to have to answer questions about it at the hearing, and We Can't Have That.
Instead of an unqualified candidate with unknown views, we can now expect an unqualified candidate with outspoken views attractive to the conservative base. In other words, instead of a question mark, an unquestionable disaster. Instead of celebrating, the sane people need to get ready to fight someone the conservative wankers will wholeheartedly support.
Actually, I think we can expect (no pun intended) a radical shift to the right. Having tried to avoid a fight, the White House must either go for someone in the same mold as Miers, i.e., an unqualified loyalist, or someone more qualified, but who is likely to have views more palatable to the Religious Reich. And if you don't think that'll come up in Committee....
It's hard to say what the Idiot-In-Chief's next move is going to be. I honestly thought when Rehnquist died that he would elevate Scalia or Thomas (which would've been the same as elevating Scalia), and not re-target Roberts' nomination.
A best-case scenario would be that he finds himself forced to name a right-of-center moderate, as a result of lost political capital and opposition in the Senate.
Of course, that would require him to recognize that he has, in fact, lost a lot of political capital and has to make a compromise. Fat frickin' chance.
AS much as Im giggling in my work seat right now I hope she wasn't a "Rope a dope" Nominee Get everone spent on defeating her, then we're all tired then he comes up with an even worse nominee
Well, see, that's the thing. The Dems spent no capital, and almost no effort. She was so blatantly unqualified, and so obviously a crony, that the Repubs realized she made them look appalling. So now, yeah, there's a good chance we're gonna get Hangin' Judge Thaddeus Firesnort or somethin' like that... someone we can spend the time and effort on.
Now, Rev. Nehemiah Scudder, he's conservative enough... but I guess he's going to be holding out for the 2012 presidency. Maybe Firesnort's installment as a Supreme will be the deciding factor in Scudder's election. ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-10-27 01:31 pm (UTC)I'll admit, that there was a very large part of me that was looking forward to following the hearings.
On the other hand, maybe this'll embolden the Democrats and centrist Republicans to actually /challenge/ the next nominee. I have every expectation that it'll be a highly-qualified and deeply scary sort of person.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-10-27 01:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-10-27 01:41 pm (UTC)Instead of an unqualified candidate with unknown views, we can now expect an unqualified candidate with outspoken views attractive to the conservative base. In other words, instead of a question mark, an unquestionable disaster. Instead of celebrating, the sane people need to get ready to fight someone the conservative wankers will wholeheartedly support.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-10-27 01:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-10-27 02:10 pm (UTC)A best-case scenario would be that he finds himself forced to name a right-of-center moderate, as a result of lost political capital and opposition in the Senate.
Of course, that would require him to recognize that he has, in fact, lost a lot of political capital and has to make a compromise. Fat frickin' chance.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-10-27 01:53 pm (UTC)HOwever
Date: 2005-10-27 02:11 pm (UTC)I hope she wasn't a "Rope a dope" Nominee
Get everone spent on defeating her, then we're all tired then he comes up with an even worse nominee
But SKOR!
Re: HOwever
Date: 2005-10-27 02:14 pm (UTC)Re: HOwever
Date: 2005-10-27 04:02 pm (UTC)Now, Rev. Nehemiah Scudder, he's conservative enough... but I guess he's going to be holding out for the 2012 presidency. Maybe Firesnort's installment as a Supreme will be the deciding factor in Scudder's election. ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-10-27 04:24 pm (UTC)