"A Sinking Nomination"

New David Frum on the Miers nomination. He's digging in deeper.

There has not been a moment since October 3 when I have not felt sick and sad about this Miers battle, but today may have been the worst day yet. This morning, the president mobilized Laura Bush to join him on national television and accuse critics of the Miers nomination of "sexism." Reading the transcript of the interview, you can feel this kind and gracious woman's disinclination to speak an untruth. "It's possible," she says. "I think it's possible."

What a terrible and false position to put the first lady in! And what a sign that the White House has finally understood that it has lost the argument over this nomination.

By asking the first lady to defend the nomination, the White House is implicitly admitting that the president's word alone has failed to carry the day: That, in other words, when he said, "Trust me," conservatives said "No." The first lady's appearance was a dangerous confession of personal and political weakness by the president - one that will be noticed and exploited by the president's Democratic opponents.

Even more ominously, the Today show interview announces a new strategy of trying to win the Miers nomination by waging war on the president's core supporters. In the first week of the battle, the White House sent out James Dobson to woo evangelical conservatives. That didn't work out too well. So now the White House has switched strategies. It has turned its back on conservative evangelicals and is instead using Laura Bush to woo suburban moderates. But remember: Laura Bush is on record as a supporter - not just of abortion rights - but of the Roe v. Wade decision. Interviewed on the Today program in January 2001, Mrs. Bush was asked point blank about the case. Her answer: "No, I don't think it should be overturned." Is it credible that Mrs. Bush would be endorsing Harriet Miers if the first lady thought that Miers would really do what James Dobson thinks she'll do?

It is madness for a 37% president to declare war on his strongest supporters, but that is exactly the strategy that this unwise nomination has forced upon President Bush. And every day that passes, he will get angrier, the attacks will get fiercer - and his political position will weaken.

I am not a big fan of Laura Bush right now. I always considered her an excellent first lady, elegant, poised, and fulfilling the role well. But since she has decided to meddle in the Supreme Court nominations, I have become angry. We didn't elect her. We chose her husband to be President. By default, Mrs. Bush is allowed to pick the decorations for the White House during Christmas, not the Supreme Court justices. She ought to shut her mouth, if she knows what is good for her husband.

I am a female and I do not support the Harriet Miers nomination. It isn't sexism. It is reality. Harriet Miers has no known beliefs, other than a few vague ideas from old co-workers, friends, or spokesmen for the President. I don't care if she is a woman. I care if she is a Conservative. That is, after all, one of the most important reasons I voted twice for George W. Bush, and why I helped on his 2004 campaign.

Under these circumstances, the least bad solution is for the president to withdraw this nomination now, before he does himself and his party further and growing harm.

Many readers have asked what they can do to help achieve a good resolution of this crisis.

Here are a few suggestions.

First, please send an email to Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham thanking them for their brave stance against this nomination. These two broadcasters have been tireless and fearless on this story - but they are under intense and increasing pressure, and it makes a huge difference to them to know that their work is heard and supported. (And let me add: It has made a huge difference to me as well.)

Next, communicate with the Republican Senators on the Judiciary committee. Lindsey Graham has already committed himself to the nominee, but the others have not - and Brownback in particular seems to be leaning negative. It will again make a huge difference to these senators to know that conservatives across America will support them if they stand up to White House displeasure.

Finally, some friends and I have drafted a petition to the president that we will shortly be putting on a webpage for all who wish to sign. Here's the draft text:

"WE ARE REPUBLICANS AND CONSERVATIVES who supported the election of George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004. Today, we respectfully urge that the nomination of Harriet Miers to the United States Supreme Court be withdrawn.

"The next justice of the Supreme Court should be a person of clear, consistent, and unashamed conservative judicial philosophy.

"The next justice should be seen by all as an independent custodian of the constitution, untainted by any hint of secret pledges or political obligations.

"The next justice should be a person of the highest standard of intellectual and juridical excellence.

"For all Harriet Miers' many fine qualities and genuine achievements, we the undersigned believe that she is not that person. An attempt to push her nomination through the Senate will only split the Republican party, damage the Bush presidency, and cast doubts upon the Court itself.

"Sometimes Americans elect Republican presidents, sometimes we elect Democratic presidents. Whatever the differences between the parties, surely we can at least agree on this: Each party owes America its best. President Bush has a wide range of truly outstanding conservative jurists from which to choose. We believe that on second thought he can do better - for conservatism, for the Supreme Court, for America."

Frum will post a link when the petition is available and I will post a link to that link on this blog.