Freefalling

Harriet Meiers withdraws! The official reason:



"It is clear that senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House -- disclosures that would undermine a president's ability to receive candid counsel," Bush said. "Harriet Miers' decision demonstrates her deep respect for this essential aspect of the constitutional separation of powers -- and confirms my deep respect and admiration for her."



In fact, the problem was that Bush nominated someone whose only qualification (and even this was a stretch) was her service at the White House. Without information about that service, how could the Senate possibly make an informed decision about her suitability for the Supreme Court? Moreover, apparently a number of senators had already determined that she did not possess the intellectual heft to serve on the Court. Specter and Shumer's characterizing her answers to committee questions "insufficient" and "insulting" was not a good omen.



Who will Bush nominate next? A month ago I would have said he would turn right to rejuvenate the base. But with (possibly) a passle of indictments headed his way, with poll numbers in the 30s, facing a revolt by Republicans across the board, I don't know. And perhaps without Karl Rove to help him through this mess? Yikes. I'd quit, hand the job over to someone who knows what he's doing.