Insiders see hint of Miers pullout
That’s the headline at the WaTimes. As all over the Harriet Makeover ProjectsTM have spontaneously combusted, the backup plans are under way in case she pulls out before the hearings, or more likely if she melts down during the hearings. Considering the events over the last week (the questionnaire “do-over”), I suppose even the dunces in the White House know this nomination is toast.
“White House senior staff are starting to ask outside people, saying, ‘We’re not discussing pulling out her nomination, but if we were to, do you have any advice as to how we should do it?’ ” a conservative Republican with ties to the White House told The Washington Times yesterday. The White House denied making such calls. “Absolutely not true,” White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.
But a conservative political consultant with ties to the White House said that he had received such a query from Sara Taylor, director of the Office of White House Political Affairs. Miss Taylor denied making any such calls.
…A second Republican, who is the leader of a conservative interest group and has ties to the White House, confirmed that the White House is making calls to a select group of conservative activists who are not employed by the government.
“The political people in the White House are very worried about how she will do in the hearings,” the second conservative leader said. “I think they have finally awakened.”
An interesting aspect of this article is the intimation that Karl Rove’s “troubles” are taking him away from the Harriet Project, and it’s all unraveling because the rest of the White House clowns don’t know what to do.
Just who in the White House may have asked Miss Taylor to seek advice from outside about the best way to drop Miss Miers’ nomination without causing excessive embarrassment to the president or to her was unclear.
Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove no longer appears to fill the role as chief political strategist in the White House, a role he has filled from the start of the first Bush term. Mr. Rove’s clear leadership hand went missing some time ago, the leaders say, when speculation grew that he might face indictment in the CIA leak investigation led by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.
The Freepers just don’t know who to blame for this mess.
“Look what happens when Rove is “out of the loop” and Andy Card fills in for awhile. Can we expect more of the same for the remainder of the term?”
“The buck stops at GWB. All else is excuse.”
“YEP, you’re sooooo right…Go Hillary, beat John, win over our RINO’s who like to play the blame game like the demonRATs do!”
“Blame Laura Bush for this one.”
“Amen..I did not crawl thru broken glass for Rove or Card..I did for W and nothing else..He’s president…not those two.”
“I didn’t either. But it now appears that one or the other has actually been driving the train for quite some time. Which, in turn, leads to some interesting questions . . . .”
“Folks, even the W Times doesn’t have any idea what is going on. GW Bush picked Miers because he knows her philosophy. He doesn’t care if you don’t trust him. He is a brick wall and you all know it. “
“Bush makes the decisions, not Card or Rove.”
“Therein lies the problem. Bush and his minions took conservatives for granted one time too many.”
“Look what happens when Rove is “out of the loop” and Andy Card fills in for awhile. Card is from Massachusetts. Need I say more?”
“Hey, a fall guy could be useful this debacle. The White House could blame Card, withdraw Miers, appoint Edith Jones. Problem solved. Everyone is happy, but the Demonrats.”
“I just don’t think Bush has the political capital to appoint a moderate if Miers withdraws. Of course I could be wrong, maybe he likes Jimmy Carter style approval numbers, but I doubt it.”
“You underestimate the power of the party faithful. They will crush the insurgency, the purists, the one percenters, the whole-loafers.”
“Pretty sad state of affairs when a party thinks it has to crush its rank and file in order to protect its leaders’ egos.”
“Bring it on!!!! After being lied to “most qualified nominee”, if there must be war, war will be had. It’s sad, I used to crush lefies who said “Bush lies” because they couldn’t come up with one I couldn’t refute. Now there is one I can’t refute “HM is the most qulified nominee””
“I see, George is tough enough to stand up to all his critics about Iraq, but will bow to his wife’s wishes? You’re all nuts.”
“Thye buck stops with Bush, and he has disappointed time after time.”
“Yes. A fall guy (Card) is needed. No point putting the President through more than necessary. Simply nominate Jones. And, he could even nominate Miers to Jones’ position on the appeals court once Jones is confirmed.”
“Did you read the thread about how the WH was going to “turn the screws” on Conservative Senators who had expressed reservations about Miers? How come we never read any threads on him “turning the screws” on the Moderates who derailed several of his other nominations? Zero competent leadership, and the proof is that the Presidents party has 55 seats in the Senate, and he can’t even get his picks up for a vote, much less confirmed. So sad.”
“Card = Nice guy, good manager, bad political advisor. Mark Raicoit perhaps would be a better replacement?”
“You know…I for one am getting pretty damned sick and tired of clicking threads and seeing you on every thread taking pot shots at the President. Why don’t you get lost? You add nothing to either side of an arguement you just take your shots at W. You’re really starting to look like a DUmmy disruptor to me.”
“Lets see, GWB was the Man because he only nominated “our guys to the bench”. Miers must know what he was looking for cause she was in charge of the venting process. Bush knows her better than ANYBODY else that could have picked. That means that he sold us out. I think I must have missed something.”
“ann coulter’s ego seems unchecked especially when she is on bill maher’s show. Too bad her appetite isn’t as big as her ego.”
