In the Agora: Fuel to the Fire

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October 09, 2005

Fuel to the Fire

Frum, Barnett, Will, Krauthammer, and now, Rich:

Like most Bush fictions, the latest are driven less by ideology than by a desire to hide incompetence. But there's a self-destructive impulse at work as well. "The best way to get the news is from objective sources," the president told Brit Hume of Fox News two years ago. "And the most objective sources I have are people on my staff who tell me what's happening in the world." Thus does the White House compound the sin of substituting propaganda for effective action by falling for the same spin it showers on the public.

Beware of leaders who drink their own Kool-Aid. The most distressing aspect of Mr. Bush's press conference last week was less his lies and half-truths than the abundant evidence that he is as out of touch as Custer was on the way to Little Bighorn. The president seemed genuinely shocked that anyone could doubt his claim that his friend is the best-qualified candidate for the highest court. Mr. Bush also seemed unaware that it was Republicans who were leading the attack on Ms. Miers. "The decision as to whether or not there will be a fight is up to the Democrats," he said, confusing his antagonists this time much as he has Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.

More and more, this seems to be about Bush rather than Miers.

Posted by Zach Wendling at October 9, 2005 10:30 PM

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More about Bush than Miers.

Good observation. I look forward to Miers being a great judge.

Posted by: Phil W at October 10, 2005 11:11 AM | permalink

On what basis? A blind belief in the inerrancy of George Bush and Andy Card? Even the quotes from people supporting her tend to reflect simply people who really like her, not facts supporting her brilliant legal mind. Hard working, yes. She's undoubtedly a very bright, hard working woman. But even when weighed against those non-judges who've been Supreme Court judges before she fails when it comes to the weight of her experience. As an attorney how much involvement did she have in case law? Because of the nature of the litigation she was involved in not all that much because one case can take so much time and last so long. It also has been purely corporate law. Was there pro bono criminal or consumer law I haven't heard about? Possibly but it's suspicious that it hasn't already been mentioned by her defenders. No, Harriet Miers' single characteristic that was the overwhelming contributor to her nomination was unswerving loyalty to George W. Bush.

Posted by: Jim S at October 10, 2005 08:07 PM | permalink

Yes, you are correct, this is really all about Bush, but then again, Bush has given conservatives plenty of reasons to be angry with him.

Posted by: Michael Meckler at October 11, 2005 01:14 PM | permalink

October 09, 2005

Fuel to the Fire

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