You’ve got to live on the planet Sedna not to know that G.W. Bush’s appointment of White House counsel and longtime Texas pal Harriet Miers has caused a Grand Canyon-size rift between conservatives. The IWF supports the Miers nomination, and I, personally, don’t think she’s a bad choice. She’s smart, competent, deeply religious (always a good sign)–and hey, she packs heat!
Reader Katherine disagrees:
“President Bush insulted women by claiming that Harriet Miers was the most qualified woman he could find for the Supreme Court. I have no doubts that Ms. Miers is a good lawyer and a loyal employee. But nothing she has done in her professional life show me that she has the brilliance necessary to be a member of the Supreme Court. President Bush blew it.”
Naturally we’re glad to hear from you, Katherine, and I hope you’ll reconsider. Meanwhile, here’s an amusing letter to the Wall Street Journal on the Miers rift (hat tip to the pro-Miers Anchoress):
“How can you tell if a conservative is pro- or anti-Miers? Based on my conversations with conservative friends this week, here’s a good rule of thumb. Ask the conservative to define the following words or phrases and see what he says.
“‘Blackberry’
“Anti-Miers: A handheld device that allows you to get e-mail and access the Internet. The biggest problem is when the battery runs low. You solve the problem by carrying a charger.
“Pro-Miers: A delicious berry that you find in the woods. The biggest problem is that bears love them too. You solve that problem by carrying a .44 Magnum….
“‘$20 Snifter of Cognac’
“Anti-Miers: Not a bad price for a great brandy at a nice bar.
“Pro-Miers: An outrageous price for a drink. Where we people live, you can get a two-pound T-bone steak dinner and a drink for $20….
“‘December’
Anti-Miers: A period of increased cultural sensitivity when you have to wish people a ‘Happy Holiday’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’ for fear of offending them.
“Pro-Miers: Merry Christmas!
“‘A List’
“Anti-Miers: The type of party you want to be invited to.
“Pro-Miers: What you don’t want to get from your wife on Saturday morning….
“‘Antonin Scalia’
“Anti-Miers: A brilliant legal scholar with libertarian tendencies. A good Supreme Court justice.
“Pro-Miers: Who? Oh, the guy who hunts with the vice president and belongs to a gun club in Virginia. A good Supreme Court justice….
“‘Big Bore’
“Anti-Miers: A person who corners you at an A List cocktail party.
“Pro-Miers: A rifle that you need for hunting elephant or cape buffalo.”
You get the idea.