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Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers

By Jeralyn, Section Harriet Miers
Posted on Mon Oct 10, 2005 at 12:00:44 PM EST
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Right Wing News has conducted a non-scientific survey among right-wing bloggers about President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

Before summarizing the results, let me just say that I don't think bloggers or Senators should have a fixed opinion of the nomination before the confirmation hearings. No one has heard a word from Ms. Miers yet. She deserves the opportunity to be heard before her nomination is either condemned or championed.

That said, while I'm pleased to see so many right wing bloggers down on Bush, we have to keep the reason in mind: They expected Bush to nominate a right-wing extremist and an ideologue and they don't see one in Ms. Miers.

Those who opine she is unqualified are being disingenuous. Had Bush appointed someone with the same qualifications and lack of paper trail, but who had gone on record, even just through public speaking or in memos to ABA committees, pleading for Roe v. Wade to be overturned, opposing gay rights and affirmative action or supporting a consitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, they would be jumping for joy at the nomination. They wouldn't give a whit what law school she went to or whether she had been a judge. They'd be taking the position that we need non-academics in ivory towers and people with real-world experience like litigators on the Court. As to the cronyism charge, they'd be saying, Hey, Bush won the election, he gets to choose.

Here's a summary of the survey findings:

  • The bloggers who thought George Bush made a "bad or terrible decision" in selecting Miers outnumber those who thought he made a "good or excellent decision" by more than 5 to 1.
  • The bloggers who "view George Bush less favorably" because of the nomination outnumber those who "view George Bush more favorably" by more than 13 to 1.
  • At the moment, only 41% bloggers think George Bush should "continue to support Harriet Miers" while 59% are either "not sure" or think he should "withdraw the nomination".
  • Only 33% of bloggers think Republican Senators should "vote to confirm Harriet Miers" while 67% are either "not sure" or would prefer that Republican Senators "vote against Harriet Miers".
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    • Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers | 6 comments (6 topical)
    Re: Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers (none / 0) (#1)
    by roger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    I think that you are dead on re: if Miers had an anti-(gay, abortion) record. Not a very loyal bunch, these wingers. They will never get as nutty a winger as W again, and he's not nutty enough! The only good thing is that they are so insane, their agenda will never come to pass.

    Re: Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers (none / 0) (#2)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    That said, while I'm pleased to see so many right wing bloggers down on Bush, we have to keep the reason in mind: They expected Bush to nominate a right-wing extremist and an ideologue and they don't see one in Ms. Miers.
    Wingers, translated: "We like it when he lies, but not when he lies to us."

    Re: Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    "No one has heard a word from Ms. Miers yet. She deserves the opportunity to be heard before her nomination is either condemned or championed." Incorrect. Her relationship with the acting President disqualifies her for a job in the branch which oversees his activities. It doesn't matter what she believes -- she can't be trusted to enforce the constitution on her pet preznit, which is a basic requirement of the job. She's unfit!

    Re: Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers (none / 0) (#4)
    by James Richardson on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:52 PM EST
    what happened to the righties' "bush can nominate who he wants cause we won the election and all that matters is if they're qualified" now?

    Re: Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:52 PM EST
    I don't think we should count Harriet Miers out simply because she's associated herself with George Bush or because she is loyal to him (after all Mier is required by a code of ethics to be loyal to Bush, who is/was her client). Imagine if one of your clients was elected to public office and that client asked you to follow him in a position that would allow you to have some imput into his decision making process. Imagine, too, that you knew your client's inclinations to be somewhat nefarious. Would you not, even if simply in service to your fellow countrymen, follow your client and hope that you might offer advice and reason that would temper your client's more questionable instincts? Put another way, do we believe that Jennifer Melfi is an evil character simply because Tony Soprano is her client? Every thing that we know about Harriet Miers suggests that she is an inclusive, thoughtful, temperate, ambitious woman. She reached out to the gay community in Dallas. She rose to positions of leadership formerly held only by men. She touted the importance of pro bono criminal representation in Dallas, Texas. She's contributed money to Democratic candidates. Once Miers sits on the bench, her sole loyalty will be to the United States of America. From all indications, she will serve us well.

    Re: Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:53 PM EST
    Could there be any hidden connection between Harriet Miers and Laura Bush? Laura graduated from SMU in 1968 and Miers graduated in 1967.

    Right Wing Blogger Survey on Miers | 6 comments (6 topical)