Shameless Cronyism

My favorite crony agrees with me that the Miers nomination may offer Conservatives some of the fireworks in the Senate they wanted all along. (Hard to avoid now. See the Eastland piece linked in the previous post). He also offers two additional thoughts, which I pass along for your enjoyment (or torture, if you are sick-sick-sick of the Miers story). On the dust-up with Specter, which convinces The Corner Miers is way out of her league, Crony has another take:

On the question, cui bono, I think the answer is obvious enough. Miers has little reason to tell him one thing publicly which he would like, and another thing publicly that he would hate. He, on the other hand, has good reason to try to push her into supporting Griswold, the foundational case for "privacy" that became the ground for Roe. But she didn't buy. I think this is a strong point in her favor. W. says she simply has no interest in keeping the WashPost, media, legal elites happy. She is wedded to the truth no matter what it costs. That's what I see as the explanation for this treachery by Specter.

As for the trouble with the nomination:

The reason is not Miers, it's the idiotic marketing campaign the WH is carrying out. If, as we believe, W. is trying to effect a genuine change in the way the SC decides and opines about cases and the Constitution, this botched selling job only proves that the best strategy, as Churchill never tired of saying, is to tell the truth to the people. W. should have explained what her real strengths are and why he wants her on the Court instead of the sloganeering and cant, and half-hearted appeals to affirmative action, that no one is buying. There's little question in my mind that if she goes down -- which I don't expect -- the fault will be the WH strategists, which means ultimately the President for not giving a full account of his intention. The objection is that there would be hell to pay from the Dems and liberals, but I believe the American people would support a Justice who for once gives America a common-sense plain reading of the document our Founders wrote for us to last through the ages. In the end the Senate would be forced to confirm her, even if 51-49 (Thomas was 52-48).

But I think it is now likely that she herself will end up saying enough to blow up the whole charade in the Senate because they will press her on the tough const'l issues, and I believe she will say enough to make it contentious. Then it will be something to see what the talking-head conservatives, and the President, have to say in her derogation or defense.

Let's hope Crony is right. Could be a fun run up to Thanksgiving.