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John, these are wonderful!

I was going to post some lengthy treatise on the previous thread, but now, looking at these pictures, I'm reminded how inferior words are to describe our human existence. So instead I'll go to bed now, dreaming of balloons and feeling love and friendship for my rural neighbours.

Thanks for sharing them.

PS I'll try not to think about the Alpo.

Inspiring pics!

Here are some more (slightly different nature but nice to look at just before heading to bed)

http://www.dubyasworld.com/dubyas-world-9-19-05.html

IRAQ WAR DELAYED HURRICANE KATRINA EFFORTS, INQUIRY FINDS

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article316682.ece

just to clarify a little what ladytechie wrote: if you've even seen my golf game, you would wonder why I bother: it's a loooong walk spoiled: and some Sundays are longer than others !!

The current religious forces are those of oppression, not tolerance.

Whether an Imam issuing a Fatwa, whether the new Pope ("the Rat") issuing an edict yesterday that humans are incapable of free will, or whether it's an African street preacher in London calling for "law and order" because humans are "dirty sinners" and would "eat each other" otherwise - religion nowdays (as promoted in extremist and radical form, as infiltrating governments) is getting dangerous.

Let's hope the Catholics of Europe and the rest of the world realize that a dangerous zealot appears to have been reincarnated from the Dark Ages. With this literal interpretation, women are seen as carnal and dangerous, and humans in general as unable to think for themselves. With this concrete and reactionary interpretation, consistency would dictate that his followers stop using computers, driving or paying taxes for space travel.

Can this lead to anything but a Christian Taleban?! Will kite flying and having birds as a hobby be banned also? Dancing? Will legs soon be covered?

If anything should be taught in the schools, it is to beware of extremism and concrete literalism and lack of logic, especially with respect to religion.

All my information on what the Pope said is in French, but I'll find more today.

Beware the hypocrisies of Laura "Miss Compassion" Bush when she is photographed with women learning to read in Afghanistan, after her husband had it bombed back to Genesis right after a famine and war had already destroyed it.

Beware the false teachings of Barbara "Beautiful Mind" Bush when she holds forth on her views of coffin viewing, and housing for hurricane victims who are "underprivileged."

Most of all, beware the blasphemy and heresy of her husband and sons, all of whom make a mockery of anything good in the Bible.

"no judicial record"
"part of Bush's inner circle"

breaking news .. Guardian .. Associated Press

Bush Chooses Miers for Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush has chosen Harriet Miers, White House counsel and a loyal member of the president's inner circle, to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, a senior administration official said Monday.

If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, Miers, 60, would join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the nation's highest court.

Miers, who has never been a judge, was the first woman to serve as president of the Texas State Bar and the Dallas Bar Association.

Without a judicial record, it's difficult to know whether Miers would dramatically move the court to the right. She would fill the shoes of O'Connor, a swing voter on the court for years who has cast deciding votes on some affirmative action, abortion and death penalty cases.

Known for thoroughness and her low-profile, Miers is one of the first staff members to arrive at the White House in the morning and among the last to leave.

When Bush named her White House counsel in November 2004, the president described Miers as a lawyer with keen judgment and discerning intellect - ``a trusted adviser on whom I have long relied for straightforward advice.''

He also joked of Miers, ``When it comes to a cross-examination, she can filet better than Mrs. Paul.''

Miers has been leading the White House effort to help Bush choose nominees to the Supreme Court, so getting the nod herself duplicates a move that Bush made in 2000 when he tapped the man leading his search committee for a vice presidential running mate - Dick Cheney.

Here is "The Rat," in English.
I consider this deeply insulting, as a human being.

"A tolerance which allows God as a private opinion but which excludes Him from public life, from the reality of the world and our lives, is not tolerance but hypocrisy," he said in his opening homily.

"When man makes himself the only master of the world and master of himself, justice cannot exist. Then, arbitrariness, power and interests rule."

WHERE do they find these people?!! They scare me!! Who will they come up with next?!!! It's not Halloween yet!!

Oh yay. Harriett owes everything to George Bush, and is completely unknoweable on the judicial front.

We had already lost the balance of powers that the founding fathers put into place; now the merging is complete.

"A tolerance which allows God as a private opinion but which excludes Him from public life, from the reality of the world and our lives, is not tolerance but hypocrisy," he said in his opening homily.

"When man makes himself the only master of the world and master of himself, justice cannot exist. Then, arbitrariness, power and interests rule."

So much for the Renaissance. Pope Ratsie fails to recall that, by denying man's autonomy in everyday life, and by becoming corrupt themselves through the sale of indulgences (that absolute power thing tends to turn ugly after a point), the Catholic Church brought about one of the greatest backlash periods of all time--to the betterment of humankind.

Michelangelo, Leonardo, Shakespeare, the ballet--all celebrating the human mind and its creativity.

Let the backlash begin!

The problem, Pope Benedict, is whose conception of God?

Your conception of God? Or my conception of God - which owes a bit more to Shiva, Krishna, Lao Tse, Buddha, Beethoven, Jung, Einstein, and indeed, the American Enlightenment, than to Christianity and the Old Testament. Whose conception of God should be dominant in public life - you old fool.

President Bush has chosen White House counsel Harriet Miers as his nominee for the Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. "She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice," Bush said in announcing his choice from the Oval Office. Miers, who has never been a judge, has been leading the White House effort to help Bush choose nominees to the Supreme Court.

President Bush has chosen White House counsel Harriet Miers as his nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Career: White House counsel, 2004-present; White House deputy chief of staff for policy, 2003-2004; White House staff secretary, 2001-2003; Texas Lottery Commission chairwoman, 1995-2000; attorney in private practice, Locke Liddell & Sapp in Dallas, Texas, 1972-1999; Dallas City Council member, 1989-1991
Education: Bachelor of science degree in mathematics, 1967, Southern Methodist University, Dallas; law degree, 1970, Southern Methodist University School of Law
Born: 1945 in Dallas
Family: Single, no children
Sources: White House, FindLaw, AP

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the Supreme Court, reaching into his loyal inner circle for a pick that could reshape the nation’s judiciary for years to come.

“She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice,” Bush said, announcing his choice from the Oval Office with Miers at his side. “She will be an outstanding addition to the Supreme Court of the United States.”

If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, Miers would join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman now on the nation’s highest court and the third to serve there in its history.

Miers, who has never been a judge, was the first woman to serve as president of the Texas State Bar and the Dallas Bar Association.

Without a judicial record, it's difficult to know whether Miers, 60, would dramatically move the court to the right. She would fill the shoes of O'Connor, a swing voter on the court for years who has cast deciding votes on some affirmative action, abortion and death penalty cases.

Low-profile nominee
Known for thoroughness and her low-profile, Miers is one of the first staff members to arrive at the White House in the morning and among the last to leave.

When Bush named her White House counsel in November 2004, the president described Miers as a lawyer with keen judgment and discerning intellect -- “a trusted adviser on whom I have long relied for straightforward advice.”

Miers has been leading the White House effort to help Bush choose nominees to the Supreme Court, so getting the nod herself duplicates a move that Bush made in 2000 when he tapped the man leading his search committee for a vice presidential running mate -- Dick Cheney.

In nominating Miers, conservatives say Bush is reaffirming his commitment to picking judges who will respect the letter of the law and not allow cultural or social trends sway their opinions.

“Harriet Miers is a top-notch lawyer who understands the limited role that judges play in our society,” said Noel Francisco, former assistant White House counsel and deputy assistant attorney general during the Bush administration. “In nominating Ms. Miers, the president has reaffirmed his commitment to appointing judges who will respect the rule of law and not legislate from the bench.”

RE: Miers

She's also the one who pushed incompetent Gonzales to Bush

Alberto Gonzales was recommended to Bush as counsel in the Texas Governorship by Harriet Miers, who has replaced Gonzales as White House counsel. Referred to by Bush as a "pit bull in size 6 shoes'', Miers is a former President of Locke, Purnell, Rain & Harrell and former chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission. Locke, Purnell, Rain & Harrell have given at least $65,000 to Bush campaigns and are major backers of tort reform. One case involved a unique law - passed under former Gov. George Bush - that blocked Texas consumers from recovering $6 billion in overcharges on car loans and allowed dealers to keep kickbacks secret. Two consumer groups have called on the Texas Legislature to repeal it. Locke, Purnell, Rain & Harrell were defendants of the litigation, which included auto dealers in Texas . Miers was also Chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission and responsible for a chain of events involving GTech, which ran the Texas Lottery, former Lt. Governor Ben Barnes, and accusations of kick-backs and illegal contracts. Yes, that Ben Barnes, who says he helped George Bush get into the National Guard. His original deposition on that subject was given in 1999, during this Texas Lottery Commission investigation, and has been permanently sealed.
http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=archives&month=2&year=2005

Miers ties to Bush started as personal lawyer
Supreme Court nominee described as very loyal to the president

WASHINGTON - Among a host of qualities that White House counsel Harriet Ellan Miers shares with new Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is the apparent lack of any personal legal agenda. Known for an exacting, no-nonsense style, Miers — like Roberts — tends to avoid the limelight.

Once described by White House chief of staff Andrew Card as “one of the favorite people in the White House,” Miers has been there for President Bush at every turn for more than a decade.

She was Bush’s personal lawyer in Texas, took on the thankless job of cleaning up the Texas Lottery when he was governor, and followed him to Washington to serve as staff secretary, the person who controls every piece of paper that crosses the president’s desk.
In 2004, Bush appointed her White House counsel, calling her “a talented lawyer whose great integrity, legal scholarship and grace have long marked her as one of America’s finest lawyers.” He articulated his high regard for her more memorably during a 1996 awards ceremony when he called her “a pit bull in size 6 shoes.”

Miers, 60, has a string of firsts on her resume that track her quiet but steady march to the top echelons of power: first woman hired by her law firm in 1972, first woman president of the Dallas Bar Association in 1985, first woman president of the Texas State Bar in 1992, first woman president of her law firm in 1996.

Loyal to Bush agenda
Card, in a 2003 interview with the publication Texas Lawyer, said Bush’s affinity for Miers is clear in the frequent invitations she receives to visit the presidential retreat at Camp David, “a privilege that is not enjoyed by a lot of staff.”

“She’s a quiet, highly respected force and someone who is seen as not having any agenda other than the president’s,” he said.

Intensely loyal, Miers is happy to stay off the radar screen as long as her boss is happy, on the thinking that White House counsels only make news when there’s been a mistake.

“Hopefully, there aren’t any,” she told the Dallas Morning News earlier this year. “So, we stay out of the headlines.”

At the same time, however, she showed her readiness to take on difficult questions.

“Lawyers by nature are involved in controversy,” she said. “We expect difficult issues and are prepared to deal with them.”

Bush underscored her toughness, observing when he was governor, “When it comes to a cross-examination, she can fillet better than Mrs. Paul.”

Sept. 11 scramble
As staff secretary, Miers was with the president in Florida when the terrorist attacks unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001, and she later remembered the regard she felt for him as she scrambled to help prepare his remarks to the nation that night. “It took some time, and the president saw me hurrying to give them to him,” she recalled. “He said, ’Good hustle.’ He made me feel good that I was contributing. Typical.”

Miers is a self-described “Texan through and through.” She grew up in Dallas and received both her undergraduate and law degrees from Southern Methodist University. She clerked for a federal judge there and then joined Locke Purnell Rain Harrell in 1972, rising to become first woman president of the firm in 1996. When her firm merged with another, she became co-managing partner of the 400-lawyer Locke Liddell & Sapp.

“Harriet is not a person that gets frustrated easily,” R. Bruce LaBoon, a former law partner, told Texas Lawyer. “She doesn’t lose her temper. She is very cool and calm in a storm.”

Miers, who is single, is known for putting in long hours without complaint. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, a fellow Texan who earlier served alongside Miers in the White House, told Texas Lawyer in 2003 that Miers was “here before dawn and after dusk and on most weekends. No one works harder.”

“She never seeks the limelight,” Spellings told Business Week. “She’s just extremely devoted to the president.”

Miers reveals little of her own emotions or ideological persuasions, but has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Bush administration on a broad of initiatives including tax cuts, Social Security reforms, restrictions on federal spending on embryonic stem cell research, national security, education reforms and fighting terrorism.

In hosting an “Ask the White House” interactive forum on the Web before the 2004 elections, Miers lavished praise on a litany of Bush administration initiatives, then added, “I could go on and on.”

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

More on Miers...

Moreover, Newsweek reported on July 9, 2000 that the Bush campaign "launched a secretive research operation designed to scour all records relating to his Vietnam-era service" during preparation for Bush's 1998 re-election campaign. They paid "hard-nosed Dallas lawyer named Harriet Miers" $19,000 to review the records. According to Newsweek, one result of her work was to deflect charges that former Texas House Speaker Ben Barnes helped Bush get into the Texas Air National Guard despite low qualifications and a long waiting list. Barnes was later forced to testify under oath that he helped Bush.
http://archive.democrats.com/display.cfm?id=171

Fri, 12 August 2005
Doc release news
Mildly encouraging news out of the White House yesterday evening: in a letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, White House Counsel Harriet Miers sets forth a timeline for the release of more Reagan-era Roberts documents. Though this is encouraging, at least two issues of great concern remain.

First, the Bush administration has not backed off from its refusal to release documents from the three-plus years Roberts spent as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General during the Bush I years his most recent and most powerful public policy-making position. Hopefully, today's letter from Judiciary Democrats to Attorney General Gonzales will change some minds.

Second, Miers' letter contains three eyebrow-raising references to a so-called Constitutionally-based privilege, which she says may be invoked to withhold some of Roberts' documents. You can do your due diligence and check for yourself, but the Constitution we've been reading doesn't contain any passages about a presidential privilege to shield information from the public.
http://allianceforjustice.libsyn.com/index.php?post_year=2005&post_month=08

Lottery Commission
Upon taking office in 1995, Gov. Bush appointed his personal lawyer, Harriet Miers ($22,000 to Bush’s gubernatorial campaigns), to watch over the Texas Lottery Commission. The Texas Lottery is intertwined with ex-Texas Speaker and Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes. In 1991, Barnes lobbied to create the Texas Lottery. The next year Barnes became arguably the highest paid lobbyist in Texas history. Gtech—the only contractor that the Texas Lottery has ever had—agreed to pay Barnes annual fees of up to $3.2 million. Barnes kicked back one-third of this money to a Gtech executive who was convicted in 1996 of taking New Jersey lobby kickbacks. In a further revolving-door scandal, Gtech hired top Bush aides Cliff Johnson and Reggie Bashur as lobbyists as they exited the Governor’s Office. In the wake of these scandals, Gtech paid $23 million to buy Barnes out of his lobby contract and the Lottery Commissioners rebid Gtech’s contract. Gtech simply won the contract again. Gtech paid $300,000 in 1999 to settle a lawsuit by ex-Texas Lottery Director Lawrence Littwin. Littwin alleged that the commissioners fired him for digging into Gtech’s political influence. He said the company controlled the commissioners because of what Barnes knew about Bush’s military service. As House Speaker in 1968, Barnes wrote a letter to help get young George W. Bush a coveted spot in the Texas Air National Guard—far from the Vietnamese rice paddies.
http://www.tpj.org/docs/2000/10/reports/appointments/boards.html

Miers political contributions...
http://www.newsmeat.com/washington_political_donations/Harriet_Miers.php

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

(read especially the last paragraph - go to original article for specific examples of each Delay Inc. tactic)

DeLay's Influence Transcends His Title

For the indefinite future, Washington will remain Tom DeLay's capital. Dislodged by a criminal indictment last week from his post as House majority leader, DeLay in his decade of steering the Republican caucus dramatically -- and in many cases inalterably -- changed how power is amassed and used on Capitol Hill and well beyond.

Proteges of the wounded Texan still hold virtually every position of influence in the House, including the office of speaker. DeLay's former staff members are securely in the lobbying offices for many of the largest corporations and business advocacy groups.
(snip)

His take-no-prisoners style of fundraising -- in which the classic unstated bargain of access for contributions is made explicitly and without apology -- has been adopted by both parties in Congress, according to lawmakers, lobbyists and congressional scholars.

(snip)

Most of all, DeLay stood for a blurring of the line between lawmakers and lobbyists so that lobbyists are now considered partners of politicians and not merely pleaders -- especially if they once worked for Republicans on Capitol Hill.

(snip)

For a vivid sign of how what was once considered controversial has gone mainstream, consider the K Street Project. That was the name for a DeLay-inspired campaign -- for which he was chastised by the House ethics committee -- to demand that lobbying firms seeking access hire loyal Republicans. Rather than going underground, the project has gone unabashedly public, with a Web site, http://www.kstreetproject.com/ , providing news about the latest lobbying vacancies.
(snip)

Usually, staffers-turned-lobbyists lose their cachet when their former bosses retire or lose their jobs. But the DeLay fraternity -- so large that it is called DeLay Inc. -- does not look as if it will suffer the same fate.

(snip)

"Even if Boss DeLay leaves, his legacy stays," said James A. Thurber, director of congressional studies at American University.

Part of the reason for this is that DeLay's temporary replacement, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), is a DeLay protege whose rapid rise was spawned by the Texas Republican.

(snip)

The DeLay network is just as formidable in downtown Washington.

(snip)

Job listings on K Street are still distributed in regularly scheduled meetings held by other GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.). Lobbying executives report that former Republican aides and lawmakers have telephoned them to suggest that their top openings should be filled with loyalists. The K Street Project Web site is run by well-connected conservative Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform.

In the House, DeLay enhanced the leadership's role by ending the practice of automatically promoting the most senior lawmakers to committee chairmanships and, instead, choosing loyalists to fill the powerful slots.

(snip)

The same technique is now used in the Senate by Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), who won the authority to select committee members after the 2004 elections increased his majority to 55 seats. "There is only one reason for that change, and it is to punish people," Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) told the newspaper Roll Call in November.

(snip)

DeLay's fundraising focus has also permeated Washington. Over the years, DeLay has raised tens of millions of dollars for Republicans through nearly a dozen fundraising entities. Today, no leader of either party or lawmaker with leadership ambitions would even consider not forming at least two such fundraising committees.

(snip)

Meanwhile, anyone looking for signs of the ongoing influence of DeLay Inc. will find another one today. It's the starting date for Time Warner Inc.'s new vice president for global public policy. The new executive is Tim Berry, former chief of staff to Tom DeLay.

There's Something About Harry...

Democratic and Republican special interests groups had been braced for a political brawl over the pick, but they may not get it. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had urged the president to consider Miers, according to several officials familiar with Bush's consultations with Congress.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUSH_SCOTUS?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME

Miers & Condi... two of a kind? Co-dependent women???

http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm6398_20051003.htm

--------------------
Who is Judy Miller kidding?
--------------------

The New York Times reporter needs to write the truth about her involvment in Plamegate.

By ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

NOW THAT Judy Miller has finished testifying, finished spinning for the cameras on the courthouse steps, finished hugging her dog and finished eating that special meal she wanted her husband to prepare, she needs to do what Time reporter Matt Cooper did and immediately publish a full and truthful account of her involvement in Plamegate.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-huffington1oct01,1,2426416.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

("They're the most lying, crooked ... it's scary" JFK2)

Re women in rightwing government:

Keep in mind the underlying philosophy of religious fundamentalism and patriarchal power:

"As regards the individual nature, woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active power of the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of a woman comes from defect in the active power...." Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica,Q92, art. 1, Reply Obj. 1

"And a man will choose...any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman...Sin began with a woman and thanks to her we all must die" Ecclesiasticus, 25:18, 19 & 33. 1

"And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her." Ecclesiastes 7:26, from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)

Doesn't that sound really "pro-life"?!

Radical Muslim Sharia law has nothing on Old Testament literal Christianity when it comes to mysogyny:

The Bible’s treatment of women was abominable. Women not only had a submissive and inferior status to men, but they were considered chattel. (Genesis 3:16, Exodus 21:7-11, Numbers 30.) God set the monetary value of women at 50 to 66 percent of that of men. (Leviticus 27:3-7.) Women were to learn quietly and submissively from men, and were never to teach men or have authority over them. (1 Timothy 2:11,12.)

Double standards abounded. A wife found guilty of adultery was to be killed along with her lover. (Deuteronomy 22:22.) But, hypocritically, no law prevented a married man from carrying on with as many affairs as he pleased, as long as they were not with other men's wives. Likewise, prostitution was illegal for Jewish women. (Deuteronomy 23:17.) But there was no law forbidding foreign women to be prostitutes in Israel, or for Jewish men to frequent them — which was a common practice. And if a master and his female servant had sex, and the woman was engaged to another man, the master merely had to pay a fine, but the woman was to be whipped. (Leviticus 19:20-22.)

The Bible found no fault with Abraham and Isaac for knowingly giving their wives to other men for sexual use. (Genesis 12:11-16; Genesis 26:7-10.) In fact, the Bible praised Lot and Ephremite for offering their daughters to be raped, so this fate would not befall their male guests. (Genesis 19:1-8; Judges 19:22-24.) If a man raped a virgin who was not engaged to be married, his "punishment" was to pay a fine and marry her. (Exodus 22:16.) As for female servants, male masters could legally rape them. (Exodus 21:7-11; Leviticus 19:20-22; Deuteronomy 21:10-14.) The Bible even shows such holy men as Abraham and Jacob forcing sex on their female slaves (Genesis 16:1-2, Genesis 30:9-10.) Curiously, Christians defend servitude in the Bible by claiming that the rights of these servants were "well-regulated." (!)

Reaction to Bush's High Court Nomination

The Spin...
"With this selection, the president has chosen another outstanding nominee to sit on our nation's highest court. Ms. Miers is honest and hard working and understands the importance of judicial restraint and the limited role of a judge to interpret the law and not legislate from the bench." — Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

"Harriet Miers is a brilliant legal mind. She is a woman of outstanding character who clearly understands what it means to follow the law. She is deeply committed to public service, and has a distinguished history of professional achievement. It is clear that her past experiences have well prepared her for the honor of serving our country as a Supreme Court Justice." — Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

"The reaction of many conservatives today will be that the president has made possibly the most unqualified choice since Abe Fortas who had been the president's lawyer. The nomination of a nominee with no judicial record is a significant failure for the advisers that the White House gathered around it. However, the president deserves the benefit of a doubt, the nominee deserves the benefit of hearings, and every nominee deserves an up or down vote." — Manuel Miranda, chairman of the conservative Third Branch Conference

The Reality & Truth

"She has a reputation for being loyal to this president, whom she has a long history of serving as a close adviser and in working to advance his objectives. In an administration intent on accumulating executive power, Ms. Miers' views on and role in these issues will be important for the Senate to examine." — Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee

"We know even less about Harriet Miers than we did about John Roberts and because this is the critical swing seat on the Court, Americans will need to know a lot more about Mier's judicial philosophy and legal background before any vote for confirmation." — Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

"She has been a forceful advocate of conservative legal principles and judicial restraint throughout her career." — Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the Federalist Society.

"We are concerned about the nomination of Harriet Miers and we demand she answer questions regarding her views of fundamental reproductive and privacy rights. We expect Miers to make clear her views on reproductive rights during the hearing process, and the Senate should not confirm a nominee who is not willing to do so." — Karen Pearl, interim president of Planned Parenthood.

"This is a smart move. You try to pick a nominee that Democrats won't be able to criticize as much because they are a woman or minority. This is a classic Clarence Thomas strategy." Artemus Ward, Northern Illinois University political science professor.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/10/03/national/w061640D21.DTL

Lest anyone think I am a bra-burning feminist, I have just finished cleaning out my microwave with a solution of water and vinegar. Then I unloaded the dishwasher and put in a load of laundry, none of which is my own.

Anyway, here is some historical perspective in which to place Bush's new nominee (courtesy Planned Parenthood):

Since the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision, the number of justices willing to stand up for choice has decreased.

» 1973
Roe was decided: Seven Justices supported a woman's right to choose.

» 1992
Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey was decided: we were down to five Justices who supported a woman's right to choose.

» 2000
Stenberg v. Carhart was decided: The court was split five to four, with five ruling that a woman’s health must be the paramount concern. With O'Connor's resignation, only four of the five justices who upheld access to abortion in Stenberg remain on the court.

We are only one vote away from losing the protections for women's health guaranteed by the Supreme Court in Roe, and Harriet Miers could be that deciding vote.

Urge your senator to find out if Harriet Miers will affirm the right to privacy and protections for women's health and safety.

PS. I am neither a radical advocate or radical opponent of abortion but a stacked court makes it a kangaroo court.

And in Bush's administration experience counts for nothing and croynism lives on!

Ah...a clean slate! That's all they care about.

Hey! Next they'll hire the maid to run FEMA since she has no public record but is used to sweeping things under a carpet.

When I was in England, the pound was almost double the dollar. In France, the dollar was worth about 70 cents relative to the Euro.

Now, take a look at Canada. Not so long ago, the Canadian dollar was more like 60 cents to the US dollar. Now it's 86. Could it have to do with not having all those war costs or tax breaks for the rich? I know a guy who is going to University in Calgary and each person is getting a check for $400 because of a budget surplus.

Loonie leaps to dramatic new level

The Canadian dollar was on a roll, rising dramatically against the U.S. dollar and trading at its highest level in more than 13 years.
The Canadian dollar closed at 86.01 US.

One obvious factor was some weakening in the U.S. dollar, as was increased buying by portfolio managers at the end of the month, and the end of a financial quarter. George Davis, chief foreign exchange technical analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said the Canadian dollar is also strengthening against other foreign currencies.

"We are seeing a lot of interest to purchase the Canadian dollar against the euro, against the pound sterling and against the Japanese yen."
Those factors appear to have offset a decline in crude oil prices, which often drives the loonie down compared with the U.S. dollar.

----On another note, I did my 4th gas refill yesterday at Citgo, so continued to buy Venezuelan petroleum exclusively.

I used to pay $10 per week for gas and I made 40% more in income than I do now. That was during the last two years Clinton was in office.

I now pay about $34 per week for gas and everything else has gone up but my pay has gone down.

David Frum from National Review on Miers... Interestingly, he doesn't think she's tough enough to stand up for right-wing ways... It's hard to tell what his motives are...

--snip--

There have just been too many instances of seeming conservatives being sent to the high court, only to succumb to the prevailing vapors up there: O'Connor, Kennedy, Souter. Given that record, it is simply reckless for any conservative president, especially one backed by a 55-seat Senate majority, to take a hazard on anything other than a known quantity.

--snip--
She rose to her present position by her absolute devotion to George Bush. I mentioned last week that she told me that the president was the most brilliant man she had ever met. To flatter on such a scale a person must either be an unscrupulous dissembler, which Miers most certainly is not, or a natural follower. And natural followers do not belong on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Nor is it safe for the president's conservative supporters to defer to the president's judgment and say, "Well, he must know best." The record shows I fear that the president's judgment has always been at its worst on personnel matters.

http://frum.nationalreview.com/

Scientific? No, but since when does science matter anymore?

CNN QuckVote...
Do you think Supreme Court justices should have previous experience on the bench?

Yes 78% 14195 votes

No 22% 3954 votes

Total: 18149 votes

Bush nominee Miers steered group aimed at deprogramming gays
Bush's nominee to the Supreme Court is a former board member of EXODUS Ministries, perhaps the world's largest organization that seeks to "save" men and women from a life of same-sex relationships, RAW STORY has discovered.

"Live-in" ministries don't just focus on deprogramming gays -- they also train transvestites and transsexuals how to become "normal."

Exodus promises the "fullness of redemption found in Jesus Christ, a gift which is available to all who commit their life and their sexuality to Him."
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Bush_nominee_Miers_steered_group_aimed_1003.html

"I mentioned last week that she told me that the president was the most brilliant man she had ever met." (Meiers on W, cited above)

You have GOT to be kidding. That is the most preposterous statement I have heard in my life, I think!! Maybe they are sleeping together.

Floated last week, the idea that Bush might nominate Miers to the high court did not spark immediate enthusiasm from one conservative legal scholar, John Eastman of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Claremont Institute in Claremont, Calif.

"If he wants to give her judicial experience why doesn't he nominate her to the Fifth Circuit (Court of Appeals)?" asked Eastman in exasperation last Thursday. Eastman is a former law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas.

Only minutes after Bush appeared at the White House Monday to announce the nomination, Manuel Miranda, a conservative strategist and former aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist issued a scathing statement: "The reaction of many conservatives today will be that the president has made possibly the most unqualified choice since Abe Fortas, who had been the president's lawyer. The nomination of a nominee with no judicial record is a significant failure for the advisers that the White House gathered around it."

While cautioning that "the president deserves the benefit of a doubt," Miranda added, "Something has been left unachieved by the Miers nomination. A Republican president has yet to erase the stigma of the (1987) Robert Bork hearings and the David Souter nomination. The nomination of Harriet Miers has not rid us of the repugnant situation that a jurist with a clear and distinguished record will not be nominated for higher service. The nomination did not rid us of the apprehension of stealth nominees."

For a brief respite from the Miers debacle, please check out the short movies Miso made from last Saturday and Monday:

http://www.democracycellproject.net/gallery/peacemarchvideo.shtml

http://www.csmonitortreeless.com?dmc=E35W191

On world stage, France's role is audience favorite

(PARIS) Karen Hughes should be French - it would make her job easier.

As the US undersecretary of State for public diplomacy returns home from her first foreign trip burnishing America's image in the world,
she might feel a touch of envy at the glowing international reputation that France enjoys, highlighted in a recent study by the Project on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA).

In the survey of people in 23 countries across the globe, a majority or plurality in 20 described France as exerting a positive influence on world affairs. The US, by comparison, is seen as having a negative impact by majorities in 15 countries.

"France is seen as a countervoice to the US," says Steven Kull, director of PIPA. "It becomes a rallying point for all those who don't want to follow America's lead."

Certainly, Paris appeals in part precisely because it is not Washington. But it goes beyond that. From the streets of Shanghai to Berlin, Monitor interviews found that the French flair for the finer things in life has a special cachet.

French movies are admired worldwide for their subtlety and depth; French fashion houses dress the rich and powerful worldwide; and the lure of French art and cuisine fascinated foreigners long before Paris stood up to Washington politically.

"We [Germans] look on with wonder at France's cultural influence in the world," says Henrik Utterwede, deputy director of the German-French Institute in Ludwigsburg. "And we are a bit jealous of it, as well."

On top of that, says former French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine, France is so admired because "many people think France is a country
that tries to correct the imbalances of today's world, such as the excessive power of the United States."

Or, put another way, "The French willingness to stand up and be a rooster, to take a stand and get up someone's nose, is a big strength," says Doug Miller, head of GlobeScan, the international polling firm that carried out the survey with the University of Maryland's PIPA.

France's global popularity - except in America, the only country where a majority of respondents called French influence negative - "is really a question of image," cautions Alain Frachon, editor of "Le Monde 2," a weekly magazine.

(snip)

The most symbolic recent moment came in the buildup to the Iraq war, which France vehemently and vocally opposed. "The very, very strong
position that France took on the side of global public opinion explains the figures" in the poll, says Mr. Miller.

"France was speaking for the world; [French president Jacques] Chirac stood up and that's what leadership is," Miller adds.

The symbolism had practical effects, suggests Mr. Utterwede. For years, Germany resisted French efforts to enlist it as a counterweight to Washington. But some of France's fierce individuality has rubbed off on Berlin, says Utterwede. "There is this idea of friendship [with Washington], yes; obedience, no.

(snip)

France's stand had effects on the other side of the Atlantic, too, where Americans expressed their anger or their disappointment by ordering "Freedom Fries." It became cool to dislike the French (52 percent of Americans believe French international influence is negative), especially because many felt the French owed America gratitude for liberating them from the Nazis and then defending them against the Soviets.

"France has become popular merely by defining itself in opposition to the United States under the Bush administration," critiques Jacquelyn K. Davis, executive vice president of the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis in Washington. "The French are attempting to jealously guard their remaining power and influence by criticizing and tearing down US policies."

Not that such perceived disloyalty is new. "France has been cultivating its discordant voice since [former French president Charles] de Gaulle argued that we did not have to line up behind one or other of the superpowers," recalls Mr. Frachon.

As the first Western nation to recognize Communist China, France won a special place in Chinese hearts (72 percent of Chinese respondents saw French influence as positive).
(snip)

German respect for French culture is deep. "They have a special feeling for design and art that makes them highly influential in the world," says Anete Bajrami, a newly qualified architect.

(snip)

While few of the people questioned in a brief survey of Johannesburg residents this week mentioned politics, their generally positive views of French design, culture, and food supported the survey's conclusion that 69 percent of South Africans consider France a welcome influence.
(snip)

France's European identity is central to its popularity, suggests Dr. Kull, of PIPA. "France is most associated with the European Union,
which has an even more positive rating than France," he says. "The EU is seen as using soft power and diplomacy, drawing other countries
towards it, while the US uses more hard power and direct pressure, imposing its will."

Though France is still a medium world power, with a UN Security Council seat, a nuclear weapon and a worldwide network of alliances, says Vedrine, "and though France is often pretentious and grandiloquent, she is not threatening."

(snip)

* Kathleen McLaughlin in Shanghai, Andreas Tzortzis in Berlin, Stephanie Hanes in Johannesburg, and Nathaniel Hoopes in Boston
contributed to this story.

The statement of Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) as released to RAW STORY.

“I like Harriet Miers. As White House Counsel, she has worked with me in a courteous and professional manner. I am also impressed with the fact that she was a trailblazer for women as managing partner of a major Dallas law firm and as the first woman president of the Texas Bar Association.

“In my view, the Supreme Court would benefit from the addition of a justice who has real experience as a practicing lawyer. The current justices have all been chosen from the lower federal courts. A nominee with relevant non-judicial experience would bring a different and useful perspective to the Court.

“I look forward to the Judiciary Committee process which will help the American people learn more about Harriet Miers, and help the Senate determine whether she deserves a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court.”

Exodus promises the "fullness of redemption found in Jesus Christ, a gift which is available to all who commit their life and their sexuality to Him."
Posted by: madame defarge at October 3, 2005 10:31 AM

That's amazing. This nomination is likely to bring all the dirty laundry of the nation to center stage.

Outcry Prompts Bennett to Delay Talk

CINCINNATI (AP) - Former Education Secretary William Bennett has postponed an appearance at the University of Cincinnati because of what he called a ``willful distortion'' of his remarks about aborting black babies.

Bennett said controversy stemming from his ``Morning in America'' radio show last week would detract from serious discussions of issues. College Democrats at the university had said they would protest Tuesday's scheduled appearance.

``The current controversy that has arisen around comments I made on my radio show, based on a willful distortion of what I said, will take away from the serious discussion I wanted to engage in with the students and community at the University of Cincinnati,'' Bennett said in a statement released Sunday by the UC College Republicans.

While answering a caller's question, the author of ``The Book of Virtues'' took issue with the hypothesis put forth in a recent book that one reason crime is down is that abortion was legalized, reducing the number of unwanted babies born in recent decades.

Said Bennett: ``But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down.'' He went on to call that ``an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky.''

He said later his point was that abortion should not be opposed for economic reasons because ``immoral policies are wrong because they are wrong, not because of an economic calculation.''

Kevin Welch, chairman of UC College Republicans, said Bennett's appearance would be rescheduled for sometime in November.

To flatter on such a scale a person must either be an unscrupulous dissembler, which Miers most certainly is not, or a natural follower. And natural followers do not belong on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Yes Defarge, the risk of her just following Scalia or Thomas is too great. I was going to post her rseponsibilities as President of the State Bar of Texas but I am sure all of you understand that that role is totaly administrative and in no way prepares her to be the top the jurists in the country. Her duties include such mundane things as budgeting, review of state ethics rules, cle requirements (continuing legal education), legal advertising rules, pro bono guidelines,and being a spokesperson for lawyers for the state of texas. I am concerned about her from 2 perspectives;
1. Qualifications- never having written a single legal opinion and to the best of my knowledge has done either none or very little appellate work. Has never argued a case before the US Supreme Ct.
2. Crononism-looks to be another Michael Brown clone who lacks credentials and is likely to be a lackey of Scalia and Thomas.

Monkey

Harry Reid voting record:

http://activote.ontheissues.org/AVA/Senate/Harry_Reid.htm

Ira

So they just need a puppet, to fill a seat ..

on Miers:

Who is going to train her to be normal? Is she trainable or is her sick behavior innate? I say fillibuster.

Hey All, this is Chuck back in Houston from Doha:

Nice Sunday thread yesterday -- sorry I missed it. I've always thought an epistemology (sp?) class, which I think means the concenpt of what can be known (I never had an Epsitemology class outside of the school of hard-knocks), should be required in public schools. this would provide an appropriate venue for providing kids with the intellectual tools to think about (and discuss in a reasoned, civil, respectful and tolerant way) issues like evolution and intelligent design, or more generally, about the difference between science and faith. Of course, as it now seems that the goal of American education is to figure out how to increase certain test scores, I don't see much of a future there. Reminds me of some of these "Performance Matrices" we see in the corporate world, the main benefit of which, to my mind, is to provide fodder for the comic strip Dilbert.

Anyway... Great to be back in the USA!

Chuck in Houston

PS: Ira, I hope you didn't have any problems during the storm! Mine made it up the Portland just in time thanks to a friend getting them to Intercontinental -- their main crises were the traffic and heat and suspense.

Ms Meirs once said that George W Bush was the most intelligent man she'd ever known.
She's never married.
If George W Bush is the smartest guy she's ever known, we can at least give her credit for knowing to stay single.

LOL Linda!

Check out the films, please--we need to know they are working, for one thing!

http://www.democracycellproject.net/gallery/peacemarchvideo.shtml

Meirs is a distraction...a target...a waste of energy and time.

My concern is the nominee who will come after her...she is just a puppet.

Chuck in Houston:

And on the SCOTUS nomination, I do see a very strange resonance between Ms. Miers and Ms. Rice. Perhaps it would be better described as a pattern I discern in the sort of judgement President Bush shows in his choices for top management positions, a pattern I might best describe as an incliniation to reward doting loyalty over other characteristics. As someone pointed out above, doting and unquestioning loyalty may not be the best traits for positions that involve the exercise of independent judgement. I guess this strikes me because one the the things thatimpressed me most about President Lincoln (my favorite President) was the way he was comfortable appointing strong-willed and sometimes even somewhat antagonistic people to powerful positions as a way of building a consensus strong and stable enough to weather stormytimes. This, of course, is an entirely subjective and untutored observation on my part.

Chuck in Houston, hoping beyond hope for the best in this nomination -- and all I have is hope since from what I can tell we are not going to know much at all about this nominee and will just have to take the nomination on faith

From the 1966 Hit Parade

I'm Your Puppet
James and Bobby Purify

(Written by Lindon Oldham and Dan Pennington)

Pull the string and I'll wink at you, I'm your puppet
I'll do funny things if you want me to, I'm your puppet
Mm. I'm yours to have and to hold
Darling, you've got full control of your puppet

Pull them little strings and I'll kiss your lips, I'm your puppet
Snap your fingers and I'll turn you some flips, I'm your puppet
Mm, your every wish is my command
All you got to do is wiggle your little hand
I'm your puppet, I'm your puppet

I'm just a toy, just a funny boy
That makes you laugh when you're blue
I'll be wonderful, do just what I'm told
I'll do anything for you

I'm your puppet, I'm your puppet

Just pull them little strings and I'll sing you a song, I'm your puppet
Make me do right or make me do wrong, I'm your puppet.
Mm, treat me good and I'll do anything
I'm just a puppet and you hold my string, I'm your puppet

Your walking, talking, kissing, loving puppet
I'm hanging on a string,
I'll do anything, love you 'n' kiss ya

Dianne:

As many here know I was rather silent about Robert's nomination other than posting snipets of his testimony from CSPAN on XM-Radio.

Politically I am not all that threatened by Ms. Miers b/c she is a blank slate and will be molded either by Souter, Scalia or Roberts.

I will try and find my State Bar Journal Articles describing her background as an attorney and as a candidate and as our elected President of our state bar and post them here, but such articles will give us zero input as to her political or legal philosophy. We have local issues here in Texas about the effetiveness of the state bar, bar dues, state bar ethics procedures, referal fees and various referendums on such mundane things as legal advertising.

I believe she was a senior partner with a major Dallas lawfirm and specialized in corporate litigation. She is probably an able litigant and someone I may have even voted for when she ran for the President of the state bar. Only lawyers vote in that election.But I am truly bothered by her lack of appelate experience and the fact that she in all likelihood has never written or argued a case before the US Supreme Ct. If that is true, that alone should diqualify her.

But sitting as a state bar president, is far different from questioning her compitency to be sitting on our highest court. We should expect our best and brightest jurists and scholars to be selected, which is why I was not threatened by Robert's nomination. Someone needs to convince us that she is the best and brightest this country's lgeal bench has to offer. That seems doubtful at present.

Again after we have seen the incompitency of Michael Brown and the corruption of our procurement officer shouldn't we expect better?

I don't see where she has a personal cultural political agenda, which should be acceptable to progressive organizations, but is that the only qualification we should examine for replacement of Sandra Day O'Connor?

Exodus promises the "fullness of redemption found in Jesus Christ, a gift which is available to all who commit their life and their sexuality to Him."
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Bush_nominee_Miers_steered_group_aimed_1003.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AAAARRRGH!!! The willful historical ignorance of the fundies (and their ability to misquote) is beyond my ability to understand... Exodus is the second book of the OLD Testament, and it was written something like 1000 years before the person of Rebbe Yeshua ever existed, IF he ever existed!!! There was NO Jesus Christ (a Greek name meaning 'Joshua/Yeshua the Anointed') mentioned in Exodus!!!

Karen- the films work great. I especially liked the sign saying "We are the ones we've been Waiting For."

Nonny O- The story about Meirs and the gays has been removed from the link above. Raw Story evidently found it was false.
Exodus never mentioned Jesus Christ either. I'm curious as to where that quote is coming from.
And there are lots of people who would disagree with you that Jesus never existed. Pretty much every one in all 3 major religions admits that there was at the very least, a historical Christ.
I'm not even gonna argue that one with you.

Chuck in Houston off-topic again:

Bush Jr., the anti-Lincoln, son of Bush Sr., the anti-Elvis! Just doesn't seem very American to me. Or maybe I just don't like aristocracies.

Chuck in Houston

nonny0- sorry- I misread your post. You were saying Jesus was not mentioned in Exodus. We agree completely on that one.
But the story has been retracted. Wonder where they ever got that story in the first place.

But the story has been retracted. Wonder where they ever got that story in the first place.

Posted by: Linda Enterkin at October 3, 2005 11:42 AM

Thank God. Nominating such a person at this time would have led to the political equivalent of nuclear war.

Ohio Governor Bob Taft at 15% popularity in recent poll. Perhaps it was better politically to let him twist in the wind.

Chuck in Houston for Ira:

Everything you mentioned about Ms. Miers tends to strengthen my first impression of an administrative worker-bee rather than a dynamic executive, and I agree that, whatever her ideology may be (and I do think that ideology is a perfectly acceptable area for challenging nominees to SCOTUS), such a personality and career path (which are to some degree inter-related) raises another distinct set of questions about whether or not she should be a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. It is nice to have that sort of insight direct from a member of said Texas Bar. I am also curious, though, as to whether the absence of evidence about any ideology she might hold to is evidence of absence of same. Personally, I think we have a right to know how nominees to SCOTUS view the great issues of the day as it is the executor of the co-equal Judicial Branch and as such is as much of a political actor as the Executive and Legislative Branches.

Chuck in Houston

They can start reacting to this: While active in the ABA in late 1990's Miers was a leader of the movement to get ABA to rescind it's pro-choice positions and support for tax payer funded abortion for poor women. She was unsuccessful. (This makes Leonard Leo very happy.)

Miers is apparently no Sandra Day O'Connor when it comes to women's rights.

Chuck in Houston on Miers agains:

This is the NYT article on Miers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/03/politics/politicsspecial1/03cnd-scotus.html

In it it says that she was once George Bush Jr.'s personal lawyer. I wonder if there is a precident for that? As a layperson with respect to things legalistic, I wonder what if any fiduciary issues that might raise. I also wonder if I read the NYT article correctly and, if I did, I also wonder when she was his personal lawyer.

Chuck in Houston

Chuck in Houton for Ira:

The law firm she was a co-managing partner in was Locke Liddell & Sapp, which, as per NYT as per above, then merged into Locke, Purnell, Rain & Harrell, of which she then became President. This apparently was prior to her forays into the Texas Bar and later into Bush appointments.

Is this a famous outfit in Texas? What kind of business are they in.

Chuck in Houston.

PS: Also from same NYT: "Ms. Miers has generally contributed financially to Republicans in the past - including a total of $4,000 to Mr. Bush's successful presidential runs, and $5,000 to the Bush-Cheney recount fund in 2000. But Ms. Miers also gave $1,000 to Senator Al Gore's presidential campaign in 1988 and to the Democratic National Committee the same year."

Another inexperienced lawyer as a Supreme Court Justice?

Truly, this regime counts loyalty more than experience or competence. We need to impeach the entire lot before they can take this country beyond repair.

I'm still incensed over John Roberts, whose only claim to fame was helping Toyota screw over its employees. I will NEVER buy another Toyota, ever, not even the Prius. Fortunately my Senators were among the 22 who voted against him.

Lock,Liddell and Sapp is an av rated (highest) rated law firm in the state. They specialize in corporate and tax litigation and ERISA and I believe they do some tax collections for the state. This appointment I believe is more about being pro big business and probably anti labor than it does about being culturally ideologically pure although it looks like she has been a force at the ABA to change their stand on Roe. The unions probably need to be heard from about this selection chuck. All of the local big law firms like V&E were behind her selection to be President of the State Bar if that gives you any idea about her backing.
CNBC and probably the Wallstreet Journal were cheering this selection this morning that is why I think that the Chamber and big business are solidly behind her.

Ally:

What's up with Roberts and Toyota? I just bought a Corolla! I've never heard about this Toyota thing. I've been out of the country for a while and all I got to see on the news was hurricaines.

Chuck in Houston

PS: I'm afraid pretty soon you won't be able to buy anything! (:))

V&E=Vinson and Elkins and Fulbright and Jaworsky are in the Lack, Liddell and Sapp camp chuck, the big local corporate firms.

American Progress Report:
(They have links to back all this up)

ETHICS

Sources Say Bush Directly Involved In Leak Scandal

In September 2003, White House spokesman Scott McClellan had this to say about the CIA leak scandal: "The President has set high standards, the highest of standards for people in his administration. He's made it very clear to people in his administration that he expects them to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration." (McClellan added, "There's been nothing, absolutely nothing, brought to our attention to suggest any White House involvement, and that includes the Vice President's office.") Since July, we've known that top administration officials -- including Karl Rove and Scooter Libby -- were involved, speaking to reporters about Joe Wilson's wife and her role at the CIA. Over the weekend, startling new evidence emerged that suggested direct involvement in the scandal by Vice President Cheney and President Bush.

SOURCE -- BUSH DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN LEAK SCANDAL: On ABC's This Week, George Stephanopolous said the leak scandal could become unmanageable for the White House if "as a source close to this told me this week, President Bush and Vice President Cheney were actually involved in some of these discussions." This would help explain why Bush spent more than an hour answering questions about the leak with special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. But it would also explode the notion, carefully maintained by the White House, that Bush is merely a bystander who wants to “get to the bottom” of what happened. 

SOURCE -- CHENEY DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN LEAK SCANDAL: The New York Times reported Saturday that "a lawyer who knows Mr. Libby’s account said the administration efforts to limit the damage from Mr. Wilson’s criticism extended as high as Mr. Cheney." Specifically, on July 12, 2003, "Mr. Libby consulted with Mr. Cheney about how to handle inquiries from journalists about the vice president’s role in sending Mr. Wilson to Africa in early 2002 to investigate reports that Iraq was trying to acquire nuclear material there for its weapons program." The leaking of Cheney's role by a source who appears sympathetic to the White House may be an effort to manage the story. Similarly, the first details about Karl Rove’s role were released by his own lawyer.

TOP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS MAY BE INDICTED FOR CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY: The public defense of both Karl Rove and Scooter Libby in the CIA leak scandal have focused on the specific claim they they didn’t know Valerie Plame’s name. But even if Patrick Fitzgerald is unable to prove a violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, Rove, Libby and others could still be charged with perjury if they lied to investigators. The Washington Post reports another possibility: "Fitzgerald is considering whether he can bring charges of a criminal conspiracy perpetrated by a group of senior Bush administration officials." Significantly, "To prove a criminal conspiracy, the actions need not have been criminal, but conspirators must have had a criminal purpose."

Ira

Thanks for the info.

I know one thing. The words "I'm taking this all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to" are never going to come out of my mouth!

I'll settle out of court.

Chuck in Houston with one last SCOTUS post:

I posted above that I think that us citizens have a right to know the ideology of a nominee to SCOTUS. Apparently, in today's political lexicon the phrase "Judicial Philosophy" is used instead of "Ideology."

Interesting, in the same NYT article, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KA) "said he would vote against a nominee who was not 'solid and known' on cultural issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and religion in public life.

"'If the president doesn't nominate a solid nominee, that is going counter to what he campaigned on,' Mr. Brownback said, before this morning's nomination announcement. And if such a nominee 'involves a contentious battle, then let it be.'"

So I actually agree with Brownback on one thing -- POTUS et al should not be allowed to crawdad indefinitely -- what does he stand for and do his judicial appointments reflect what ever that might be that he does stand for, if anything? Again, on a track parallel to the personal quailifications issue, I believe the Senate is obligated to explore this ideology question with thoroughness, and I believe that if a nominee is unable to convey a sense of their personal ideology, or judicial philosophy, then they should not be trusted with a position on SCOTUS.

Chuck in Houston

PS: Ira, thanks for the info. As a continuum of what I just wrote above, my guess is that Miers, Like Bush, is ultimately an adherent to big money interests, and the sort of issues Brownback is concerned with are just part of a bread-and-circuses tactic (this may well be true for Mr. Brownback as well, if I read that Kansas book correctly). If only somehow the political institutions of the US could serve to flush these folks out of their cover for just one moment! Then we could get a good, clear shot at them. As it is, and with this Miers nomination, again they may get away with be all things to 51% of the voters (and to 80% of the wealth, if well less than 50% of the earned income, I would guess). I am certain that is their intent.

re exodus from talkingpoints memo

But a quick look around the web also shows another group called Exodus Ministries which works with ex-prison inmates to prevent their falling back into lives of crime. The organization's website identifies it as "a non-denominational Christian organization established to assist ex-offenders and their families become productive members of society by meeting both their spiritual and physical needs." This latter group is Dallas-based (where Miers is from). So it seems there's a decent chance that it is the latter group she did work for. In any case, worth clearing up.

Kos thinks the nomination is a Dem victory. I don't know about that. I think it's a nomination that hurts the American people even if she isn't necessarily going to please the far right-extremist.

http://dailykos.com/story/2005/10/3/122516/658

And like Ira, I'm concerned about more than the abortion issue: the environment, the big business, and of course civil rights!

Posted by: Linda Enterkin at October 3, 2005 11:22 AM

LOLOL
You made my day with that!

chuck I am sure you read about the conflict between the mods and cons in Kansas and this nomination fits that pre emption of the mods business interest by the Kansas cultural cons. Its the right's version of triangulating.

We should be demanding answers about union issues like right to work state laws, the Minimum Wage and environmental issues like ANWR, the Clean Air and Water Acts and the endangered species Act which I am sure she is hostile towards b/c I am absolutely certain Roe, civil Rights and Gay rights questions will never be answered.

I'll wait for the hearings to decide about Miers. My gut is that Bush was looking for a way to discretely side-step his unspoken promise to the anti-choice folks and give his corporatist base, the one that really matters, everything they want.

Chuck in Houston for Amy:

Yep, Linda's post is a gem. However, although that choice does speak to her good judgement in staying single under the circumstances, it does not, I would like to volunteer, humbly and as a partisan male, as I would like to make clear for the purpose of full disclosure, suggest a very active social life or a wide or diverse circle of personal acquaintances on her part.

Chuck in Houston

I woke up to the nightmare of pResNitwit's Tight-Lipped-Clipped-Speech-And-Stiff-Angry-Body-Language this morning, heard the emphasis in his voice about a quick Senate approval, saw the sour-pickle expression on that fake cocked-head 'interest' in Miers acknowledgement of his nomination... heard Stephanopolous quote Miers saying Nitwit was the most brilliant man she'd ever met, and that Miers was an old crony from his TX days, and that she'd voiced opinions in the past that were anti-choice... (to paraphrase Stephanopolous)...; and that Reid apparently approves of Miers (shame on Reid for being a DINO!) while images of outings that looked like camping scenes were flashed on the screen of Miers and Nitwit with his cowboy hat on, which only emphasized the close, chummy ties of Miers to the family....

Got the nagging feeling: Fitzgerald's Grand Jury findings will be out soon... Roberts wrote a favorable opinion four days before his nomination that gave Nitwit extra power and approves of the Gonzilla opinion regarding torture; Miers is an old crony who thinks Nitwit is the greatest thing since sliced bread.... Niggling in the back of my mind is the idea that Nitwit knows some serious doo-doo piles will be stinking up his office in the next few weeks as a result of Fitzgerald's Grand Jury investigation (and his approval rating at 38% is one point below that of even Nixon's!), and if he has to take his case to the Supreme Court, his chums and cronies will rule in his (or Cheney's or other chummy-chum-chums' favor... which will keep extra powers in the Executive branch that he acquired after 9/11 (thanks to those scared little puppies in Congress who rolled over and now wet themselves every time he barks) and let him get by with the lies he told to get Congress to let him declare war on Iraq which absolves him of murdering our troops and innocent Iraqis because of those lies, and allow him to be above the law regarding the Geneva Convention that forbids torture, and other civilized treaties... and if Fitzgerald's findings finally prove even to neoCons drunk on kool-aid that he's a crook and needs to be impeached, he'll need all his old cronies and his chums in place in the SCOTUS to absolve him of his crimes and/or keep him from being impeached. He'll make the SCOTUS save him from himself... like the good 'christian' he is, he relies on other people to save his sorry @$$ every time he gets into a FUBAR situation, like his mommy and daddy did when he was a child, and his chums did when every business venture ended in failure..., because nothing is ever his fault; it's always someone else's fault....

That sick feeling in the pit of my stomach has only worsened since adding one fact on top of the others.... I have the ugly feeling I added 2+2 and only got 3, that I've forgotten something and there's worse to come....

Amy/Ira:

I agree with the general gist of your comments. As with Roberts, and with respect to judicial philosophy, I think it's that concept of what can be covered legislatively under the legal construct of interstate commerce and equal protection that needs to be made clear to all voters, with all its implications.

I guess I am becoming just as concerned with a radical right interpretation of interstate commerce in the economic and social sphere as I am of the equal protection clause in the economic and social sphere as I am of the implied right to privacy and the establishment clause in the social and individual liberty sphere.

Somehow, these arcane issues have to be framed for what they are: fundamental choices about the kind of country, and world, our kids (including kids of family, friends and neighbors) will grow up in. It's these fundamental choices about clear and urgent things that should be the first things informed voters consider.

Chuck in Houston

PS: I'm afraid pretty soon you won't be able to buy anything! (:))

Posted by: Chuck at October 3, 2005 12:37 PM

Hi Chuck,

I think it was an email from MoveOn (if I remember correctly) that said that Toyota Motor Manufacturing USA hired John Roberts to defend its firing of workers who were disabled due to work-related injuries.

Toyota is also accused of foul labor practices at its Kentucky plant (Camry, Solara, Sienna) anyway; I read a lengthy MSNBC article on it a while ago.

I'll double-check the deleted email folder on my home computer to be sure. But I am incensed nevertheless.

And yes, you are right - a true progressive already has to give up both Coke and Pepsi. And Dell computers - or anything with a Microsoft operating system. And not only Toyota and other Japanese cars, but also BMW, Mercedes, and Hyundai, who also operate sweatshops in the South. And the Gap and ITS sweatshops (even though the Gap is a Democratic donor). The list goes on and on... :(

Posted by: monkey at October 3, 2005 08:27 AM

She has NEVER BEEN A JUDGE?

William Rivers Pitt |

I Remember Democrats

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/100305I.shtml

The leadership caste of the Democratic party - those worthies and also-rans in the Senate and the DNC - should take a walk down to the Rayburn House office building and find Representatives Conyers, Lee, Woolsey, Abercrombie, Sanders, McDermott, Waters and Waxman.

William Rivers Pitt asserts that this crew has been keeping good company, has been burning the midnight oil, and has been speaking the truth of this administration all day and every day.

I CAN VOUCH FOR MCDERMOTT, WHO HAS JUST RETURNED FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.

Stephen Breyer had an interesting interview with Stephanopolous last night and was asked about those pushing for the original intent slant of the court and Breyer talked about how the founding fathers when drafting the Interstate Commerce Clause did not antipate the use of computers or automobiles and why the Consititution needs to be a living breathing document.

She has NEVER BEEN A JUDGE?

Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at October 3, 2005 01:36 PM

That is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me... so help me... help me finish this sentence so as not to offend anyone.

Isn't there some law that says a President can not appoint his cronies to every single position that comes open during his term?

My tin foil hat told me it was pretty sure that he would nominate a far right woman with pretty strong anti-choice background.

Appease the Christians, redeem the ruling party, and watch the news go nuts with all the liberal cliche's and accusations when the minority party leaders object in Congress.

Karl is becoming predictible.

Picked up off Kos, this National Journal article:
It seems that Abramoff and Norquist have a long-standing... association.

"About once a month since 2001, Grover Norquist has invited a top Bush administration official or a Republican congressional leader to dine with him and some 20 or 30 corporate lobbyists who help subsidize Americans for Tax Reform, the anti-tax group that Norquist heads.

The dinners at Norquist's Washington, D.C., home aren't cheap: The lobbyists pay ATR between $10,000 and $25,000 a year for the privilege of attending several of the intimate get-togethers, which have featured the likes of White House political guru Karl Rove and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, according to several lobbyists who have attended."

http://www.dailykos.com/
for comments and discussion

http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2005/1001nj1.htm
for the whole article

Not being a judge is not nearly as important as whether she has written and argued cases before the US Supreme Ct.which I do not believe she ever has and how much appelate work she done, which is minimal.
Actually some of the judges we know about sitting on the 5th and 4th Circuit are set in their ways and have a definite and dangerous ideological bias.
The US Supreme Ct. should not be a training ground for neophytes.
We should demand excellence.

Compitence,compitence,compitence...Croniism,croniism,croniism..

Picked up off TPM's Supreme Court Watch:

http://supremecourtwatch.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/10/3/94830/0059

"Although we don't know much about Miers, it's likely that, like John Roberts, she was picked with a view toward protecting executive power."

Very interesting article about Bush and Miers.

help me finish this sentence so as not to offend anyone.

Posted by: monkey at October 3, 2005 01:46 PM

God.

I don't think Pope R meant he was against creativity and the arts.

I personally take his words to mean that he doesn't think the world should be one big anarchy.

He refers to the God he believes in and feels he works for. It is his faith, so of course he is going to speak out and say people should incorporate their faith into their daily interactions, both private and public.

I'm sorry. I know today isn't a good day to discuss this. I just wanted my words to be on this thread, and this record.

People have gotten a really bad portrait of Christians. I am sorry. Politics and religion should not mix.

I will say until my last breath that Christians have gotten a bad rap because of the hypocrisy of the neocons.

This attempt by Rove/Bush to redeem themselves in the eyes of the religious right by appointing this anti-choice woman may work - temporarily.

But.....beware......Rove is salivating like a ravenous wolf at the idea of the upcoming fight.
He plans to show that the neocons are really the real-deal morality Kings. He is waiting in the bushes (ewww excuse the pun) with the spin after the minority party objects.

I see this as a last ditch attempt on the neocons part to make the pictures of last year's Traveling Social Security Snake Oil Show, and all the suffering and dead people floating around on t.v. screens last month disappear as people fixate themselves on the plight of the unborn fetus.

It is unfortunate that this creep has been able to do all that he has already done.

But all I am asking is please......direct the anger where it really belongs.....at the people behind the smoke and mirrors.

I am angry with the religious leaders who's discernment is so off too. They are floating
on the River of Denial.

Look!!!! We can win this thing. Bush's popularity is at 38%?

So the religious right gets happy for a week or two, they will forget that fast, and will not forget the images that flashed before their eyes this past year. (......I think.)

Posted by: Ira at October 3, 2005 01:56 PM

Ira, I agree completely.

Hey! Next they'll hire the maid to run FEMA since she has no public record but is used to sweeping things under a carpet.

Posted by: sparrow at October 3, 2005 10:02 AM

Good one, sparrow.

Miers is a weak choice by a weak President.

Others have said and I agree that in comparison, Miers pales in comparison. She's a hack, a crony, a yes-woman. She is nothing like Roberts.

She doesn't meet the O'Connor test, she definitely does not meet the Roberts standard.
We should demand excellence in our highest court and reject croniism.

I have an interesting thought/question that should be asked of her:

Since she is buddy, buddy with Bush, will she recuse herself in any Fitzgerald investigations of Libby, Cheney or the Bush Whitehouse if she is a sitting justice and those issue should come before the US Supreme Court?

Posted by: Ira at October 3, 2005 02:30 PM

Could this be a Rovian ploy?

If she gets rejected because of lack of experience and cronyism, could they have a hard line proven far right ideologist to put in next?

Okay,

Taking off the tin foil hat and going back to work.

A laymen's perspective (Not being in the same league
as Ira and Chuck)

So, he listened to Laura and picked a women. Couldn't pick either of the two women on the short list without running the risk of filbuster. What to do, oh, what to do. I've got it, let's pick one of his cronyies. Maybe no one will notice that she's got a weak resume. And Harry Ried bought it.

Geessshhhh!

this is a rarified court said Turley.
She is uniquely unqualified and has no resume to be on the Supreme Ct and at least Abe Fortis had taught law in law school said Johnathan Turley.
But being a City Councilwoman and head of the lottery commission is not a background any other President would have chosen, Turley said.

Truth I don't hear anyone(including Norm Ornstein) today suggesting that she won't get approved but croniism and comparisons to Michael Brown may be appropriate and reflective of Bush's judgment.
Bush just doesn't belive in excellence.

Posted by: Ira at October 3, 2005 02:48 PM

Ira,

I worry that she may be a yes person for the neocons, and she is only 60 years old.

Thirty years is a lonnggg time.

I just can't bear the thought of someone like Condi sitting on the Supreme Court.

Does Ms. Meirs in her conversations with Rove know anything about the Plame outing from her conversations with Karl Rove and will she recuse herself about the Fitzgerald investigation where there already appears to be a conflict of interest?

"Bush is Brilliant" Her assessment is a prime reason Miers should not be on the Supreme Court--what a mistake!

Another Crony! Doesn't he get it? Guess not!

Well it took almost 5 years for Bush to start pushing to drill off the beautiful Califonia coast. My only curiosity about this story is why it took them so long.My guess is that offshore Florida won't be touched.

"Coastal Drilling Emerges
By Richard Simon and Kenneth R. Weiss
Pointing to Katrina's hit to fuel supplies, some in Congress seek to diversify by opening areas such as offshore California to drilling."

Hey, that "Bush is Brilliant" comment says a lot more about Meier's ability to render a credible judgement in cases when presented with overwhelming evidence than it does about cronyism.

I see the "I'm With Stupid" tshirt is back in style too.

A formal request has been made to suspend all federal environmental laws in Louisiana during the "clean up" from Katrina and Rita.

Me thinks the feds want to use Louisiana as a toxic dump site...then sell us back to France.

Thanks for everyone's support last week as I participated in the civil disobedience! What an incredible experience! Everyone I met through (and including) Dick and Karen were awesome. I know that had I stayed where I was orginally supposed to I would not have had as amazing of an experience.

Coming back home to Buffalo has been... humbling (for lack of a better word I can think of now). It was great being constantly surrounded by people who share the cause, but that's not my reality. Support since I've been back has been mixed: people I thought were for the war congratulated me while others I know are against it haven't really said much.

I'm still planning on going back down for court (11/16) but I haven't heard anything about any sort of action. As of today, I'm just trying not to lose my motivation as I figure out what's next.

Thanks again for everything!
-Stephanie
PS I'm new at this whole blogging thing so bear with me as I learn.

WOOHOOO STEPHANIE!!!!!

Dove's were jailbird's once, too.

Peace be with you always...

Stephanie and everyone--come on back here for this:

"I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down."
--Bill Bennett, Bill Bennett Morning in America, 9/28/05

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! AND TAKE THE VOICE OF RACISM OFF THE AIRWAVES!

JOIN REV. LENNOX YEARWOOD, JEFF "COUSIN JEFF" JOHNSON, THE HIP HOP CAUCUS AND ITS ALLIES IN A PROTEST AT THE OFFICES OF THE SALEM RADIO NETWORK, WHICH BROADCASTS AND DISTRIBUTES THE BILL BENNETT MORNING SHOW, WHILE BILL BENNETT BROADCASTS!

DATE: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2005

TIME: 8:30 A.M. (Rally at 8:00 a.m.)

LOCATION: SALEM RADIO NETWORK, 1901 North Moore Street, Arlington, VA

(Rosslyn Stop on the Metro Orange Line)

Rev. Yearwood, the leader of the Hip Hop Caucus, calls upon the Hip Hop Community, all African-American parents, students, community activists and members of the faith community and all concerned Americans of all races and faiths to join him in showing their outrage and confronting Bill Bennett during the airing of his show, "Bill Bennett Morning in America" on Wednesday, October 5 at 8:30 a.m. in front of 1901 North Moore Street.

"Bennett's comments went beyond being hurtful to the black community, who are still suffering from the pain of Katrina. The calling for genocide in an effort to reduce crime takes us back to Pharaoh and the Hebrews slaves, observes Rev. Yearwood. "We should not allow this egregious affront to all African-Americans to go unchallenged, lost in the maelstrom of media spin and dismissal. We must stand together to call out and confront the white supremacist presumptions about African-American people which are pervasive throughout the policies and perspectives of the Bush Administration and the conservative right-wing in this country." Bennett's comments serve to heighten and reinforce stereotypes within the white community and to aggravate antagonism within the black community. We will not allow him to soft soap his racist presumptions and we must not allow him to shroud his racism, to wrap his racism in the protection of the First Amendment."

"While the First Amendment allows freedom of expression without governmental interference, speech particularly speech on the public airways - creates an impact and bears consequences. Beyond that, expressly hate speech is illegal. Bennett's comments foment racial hatred - fear and animosity toward black people based on a bigoted notion that they are more inclined to commit crimes, creates an impact and has consequences. Perpetuating stereotypes and propagating untruths about an African-Americans predisposition for unlawful conduct pervades the media and needs to be challenged by the not just African-Americans but all Americans who love justice. Such comments cannot be tolerated, particularly when spoken a public figure such as Bill Bennett who was former Secretary of Education and who presents himself as a "values czar."

The Hip Hop Caucus is calling for Bennett to apologize to the African-American community on Wednesday, to come down to the streets and answer to the people he insulted to the students and parents and children and community activist and church leaders whose humanity he so cavalier fashioned. The Hip Hop Caucus is demanding that the Salem Radio Network remove Bennett's show from the air and for the FCC to issue fines for what can only be construed as racists and therefore hate speech and the Hip Hop Caucus is calling on college students from across the country along with think tanks from communities of color to combat such hateful speech in the future.

Tell Salem Radio Network, which claims to air Christian broadcasting, that we will not tolerate intolerance! As a united multi-cultural community, we must protest Bennett's blatant equation of race and criminal propensity as verbal violence to African-American generations past and generations to come!

So Bill Bennett doesn't actually support abortion, he does summarily conclude that at birth, a newborn is genetically predisposed as an African-American to become a criminal. Such obscenity must not be permitted on the public airways as a result of popular outrage!

No race is more inclined to commit crimes than any other. There are more white drug users and dealers than blacks. There are more white burglars than blacks. There is less enforcement against white-collar crimes than other crimes. The mass incarceration of African-Americans is a product of our prison industrial complex, a product of our policing, a product of the poverty of our inner city, a product of the failures of our public schools, a product of a lack of opportunity. Don't allow a false scholar and self-appointed philosopher, to blame the powerless and use the defense of free speech as a smokescreen for white supremacy.

Bennett's remarks reinforce obscene racial stereotypes, which continue to reinforce racial discrimination. As pointed out by theColorofChange.org, these racial biases make jurors much more likely to convict innocent Black people. They make employers reluctant to hire Black people. And Nazis and Klansmen use race-based generalizations like the one Bennett has made to justify genocide. There is no place for this kind of bigotry on our national airwaves.

TELL BENNETT THAT HE CANNOT WRAP HIS RACISM IN FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION!

HIP HOP CAUCUS

For more information:

Harriet Miers, the blogger...

http://harrietmiers.blogspot.com/

;)

Posted by: jailbird9/26/05 at October 3, 2005 03:36 PM

Welcome to the blog, Stephanie!

It was a pleasure meeting you during my stay in DC, and you are a valuable addition to our cause.

Please keep your activism rolling!

DIY Democracy

Move On has set up a simple web form where you can post facts and sources that will fill out the picture on what kind of Supreme Court justice Miers would be. We'll get your research to the media, the Senate and our partner groups. This info will also be crucial in setting MoveOn's course for this nomination. Even if you just have a few minutes to spare, it could help a lot at this crucial time.

You can post facts right now at:

http://www.political.moveon.org/judgefacts?id=6078-3132966-o3nR8fM2U3OjSyu7StJWOg&t=3

Here is a quick chronology of Harriet Miers' career, courtesy of the Coalition for a Fair and Independent Judiciary, to help jump start your research.

1970—Graduated from Southern Methodist University Law School
1970-1972—Clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Joe Estes
1972-2001—Joined Texas law firm, Locke, Purnell
1985—Elected president of the Dallas Bar Association
1986-1989—Member of the State Bar board of directors
1989-1991—Elected and served one term on the Dallas City Council
1992—Elected president of the Texas State Bar
1993-1994—Worked as counsel for Bush's gubernatorial campaign
1995-2000—Appointed chairwoman of Texas Lottery Commission by Gov. George Bush
1996—Became president of Locke, Purnell, and the first woman to lead a major Texas law firm
1998—Presided over the merger of Locke, Purnell with another big Texas firm, Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Hill & LaBoon, and became co-managing partner of the resulting megafirm, Locke Liddell & Sapp
2000—Represented Bush and Cheney in a lawsuit stemming from their dual residency in Texas while running in the Presidential primary
2001—Selected as staff secretary for President Bush
2003—Promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
2004—Selected as White House Counsel

Truth Shall Prevail

I agree religion has gotten a bad rap because of the neocons. That is another thing they have distorted and damaged, imo.

Her senate hearings should be "good" ( that is "heated" )......

I wonder how well she can emulate Roberts by not really answering
anything

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/03/D8D0MMQG0.html

here's another quote:
"Although she's a small-framed woman, we all believed she came
through the Marines and maybe ate nails for breakfast because she's
one tough cookie," said Horace Taylor, a former lottery employee who
worked for Miers.

Thom Hartman said that within a half hour of the time that they named this woman to be the nominee that the Swift boaties had a whole web site up on her on the web. Then he said do you thinksomebody maybe leaked this information.

jailbird,

Hey, you're doing great. And keep in mind that you took a stand! Some of those people who didn't have the same courage you had may be somewhat jealous, but they'll get over it.

BUT also, those "pro-war'rs" will look at you and begin to ask themselves, "What does she know that I don't know?"

Maybe they'll come up and ask you. But in my experience, your stand will speak volumns to those in your community.

And for that you should be proud. You did and will make a difference because you REPRESENT PEACE and ACTION (and accountablity) and they'll always have to remember that.

Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) urged President Bush to pick White House counsel Harriet Miers as his nominee to the Supreme Court, RAW STORY can confirm.

In a conference call held with liberal bloggers last week, Reid declared that he had told Vice President Dick Cheney and White House Chief of Staff Andy Card that Miers was a good choice for the Court.

"I said, 'I think that rather than rather than looking at the people your lawyer’s recommending, pick her," the senator remarked. "The reason I like her is that she’s the first woman to be president of the very, very large Texas bar association, she was a partner in a law firm, she’s actually tried cases, she was a trial lawyer, and she’s had experience here. I could accept that. And if that fits into the cronyism argument, I will include everybody as a crony, but not her, when I make my case."

"I personally think that I would like to see someone who has not had judicial experience," he added. "I think that we need somebody to go on that Court in the mold of the people on the Berger court, people who have not spent their lifetime holed up in some office writing opinions and reading briefs."

Reid said the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Arlen Specter (R-PA), ranking Judiciary Democrat Pat Leahy (D-VT, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) were present at the meeting.

The Democrats' Senate leader is a moderate in his caucus, being pro-life and a Mormon.

He did, however, join 22 Democrats who voted against John Roberts to be Chief Justice, breaking with more liberal members of his caucus -- including Pat Leahy (D-VT) and Russ Feingold (D-WI).

This guy is really scary.

Ousted Ala. justice to run for governor
GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) - Roy Moore, who became a hero to the Christian right after being ousted as Alabama's chief justice for refusing to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the courthouse, announced Monday that he is running for governor in 2006

Look who shows up as a $2500 contributor to Tom Delay's defense fund. Mier's Lock, Loddell and Sapp. Also they show up as counsel for Texans for Lawsuit Reform.

Tom DeLay Legal Expense Trust

*Updated 2/6/02

This is a list of donors to the Tom DeLay Legal Expense Trust, a committee formed by Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) to raise funds for legal expenses related to a lawsuit filed by Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The lawsuit, which was dropped in spring 2001, alleged DeLay broke federal racketeering laws in soliciting funds for GOP candidates during the 2000 elections. Since its inception in July 2000, the committee has raised nearly $460,000 from individuals, private companies and PACs. Click here for more information about legal defense funds filed by members of Congress.

R Frank A. Liddell Jr.
Houston
TX
Locke, Liddell & Sapp
$1,000

Locke, Liddell & Sapp
Houston
TX
Locke, Liddell & Sapp
$2,500


Bob J. Perry
Houston
TX
Perry Homes
$5,000

Sinclair Broadcasting
$1,000


Tancredo for Congress
Littleton
CO
Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.)
$1,000

TEAM PAC
Scottsdale
AZ
J. D. Hayworth (R-Ariz)
$1,000

Thune for Congress
Sioux Falls
SD
John Thune (R-S.D.)
$1,000

Locke, Liddell & Sapp

High Oil Prices Met With Anger World Wide

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/02/AR2005100201315.html

Very interesting article

Breaking news on MSNBC

Looks like Tommy Boy has himself another indictment du jour...money laundering...new charge...

CNN has announced that Tom Delay has been indicted with a second indictment for - money laundering....

(CNN) -- The president of St. Tammany Parish Monday demanded an apology from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its claim that he had recommended it hire his construction company to develop a property to house people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

"I am waiting for a full and immediate apology from FEMA for untrue remarks," Kevin Davis said in a written statement. "The FEMA spokesperson is a liar."

FEMA had told CNN Sunday that the agency expected to have more than 1,000 housing units up and running in the area shortly, but that Davis himself had contributed to delays because he recommended to the agency that his construction company be hired to develop a property to which he has personal ties. (Full story)

Davis said in his statement that he does not own a construction company, and that he owns no land other than the site of his flooded home.

FEMA, in an e-mail, also said Sunday that Davis had asked that the agency pay $7,000 per acre per month for the property -- more than four times its value.

Since then, the e-mail said, Davis dropped his lease rate "to a reasonable monthly amount," and federal officials had nearly finalized a deal to put housing on the site, which can accommodate as many as 1,000 units.

"I do not own a construction company. I did not attempt to lease land to FEMA," Davis said Monday. "The only land I own is the lot my flooded home sits on. This is absurd.

"I want to find housing for the people of St. Tammany Parish. I do not want to spend my time refuting idiotic statements from FEMA spokespersons," he said. "I expect an immediate, full and public apology, and then I want to get back to work. People here need housing, not words."

The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FEMA's statements about Davis came after the parish president, in an interview Sunday with CNN's "Late Edition," accused the agency of continuing to mismanage the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Davis described as "wonderful" the FEMA employees assigned to his parish along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

"It's the bureaucratic part that, once they make the request for me on my behalf, for the past five weeks, I don't get a response," Davis said.

Davis cited as an example his request for mobile units to house parish residents and emergency workers living in shelters and tents.

"I've met with so many FEMA officials outside of my liaison officer; it's just I can't get a response," he complained.

Even basics such as water, fuel and food were obtained only after "hollering and screaming," not by going through channels, Davis said.

Problems with the federal government's initial response to Katrina helped lead to last month's resignation of FEMA's director, Michael Brown.

wow..I have been saying for 2 weeks since going through the http://www.opensecrets.org that this looked like money laundering!

Bush recoils from greatness
by Pat Buchanan

Handed a once-in-a-generation opportunity to return the Supreme Court to constitutionalism, George W. Bush passed over a dozen of the finest jurists of his day -- to name his personal lawyer.

In a decision deeply disheartening to those who invested such hopes in him, Bush may have tossed away his and our last chance to roll back the social revolution imposed upon us by our judicial dictatorship since the days of Earl Warren.

This is not to disparage Harriet Miers. From all accounts, she is a gracious lady who has spent decades in the law and served ably as Bush’s lawyer in Texas and, for a year, as White House counsel.

But her qualifications for the Supreme Court are non-existent. She is not a brilliant jurist, indeed, has never been a judge. She is not a scholar of the law. Researchers are hard-pressed to dig up an opinion. She has not had a brilliant career in politics, the academy, the corporate world or public forum. Were she not a friend of Bush, and female, she would never have even been considered.

What commended her to the White House, in the phrase of the hour, is that she “has no paper trail.” So far as one can see, this is Harriet Miers’ principal qualification for the U.S. Supreme Court.

What is depressing here is not what the nomination tells us of her, but what it tells us of the president who appointed her. For in selecting her, Bush capitulated to the diversity-mongers, used a critical Supreme Court seat to reward a crony, and revealed that he lacks the desire to engage the Senate in fierce combat to carry out his now-suspect commitment to remake the court in the image of Scalia and Thomas. In picking her, Bush ran from a fight. The conservative movement has been had -- and not for the first time by a president by the name of Bush.

Choosing Miers, the president passed over outstanding judges and proven constitutionalists like Michael Luttig of the 4th Circuit and Sam Alito of the 3rd. And if he could not take the heat from the First Lady, and had to name a woman, what was wrong with U.S. appellate court judges Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owens and Edith Jones?

What must these jurists think today about their president today? How does Bush explain to his people why Brown, Owens and Jones were passed over for Miers?

Where was Karl Rove in all of this? Is he so distracted by the Valerie Plame investigation he could not warn the president against what he would be doing to his reputation and coalition?

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8789892/#051003a

wow...for once we agree! Bush did promote another idiot without constitutional experience and without qualifications.

Last chance?

Who knows?

But right now, I feel that these indictments of so many republicans if they go to the supremes may be what these appointments are all about.

1. Torture
2. Impeachment
3. Plame (Bush, Cheney, Rove, Libby, etc...)
4. Delay
5. Browining
6. Delay

Etc...

Do these people have the impartiality to judge? How does a supreme recuse themself from hearing the case? And if the time came, would they get acquited as a little quid pro quo!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9583433/

INDICTED... AGAIN!

What scares me the most about Harriet Miers is not that she has no prior experience.

What scares me most about Harriet Miers is that she is a long time personal friend of George W. Bush.

If she has been a member of the Bush circle for years, how will she be able to look at a case objectively? Will she be able to understand and empathize with the majority of Americans, or is she cut from the same cloth as our over-indulged, son-of-priviledge President? Will she be able to fairly execute her duties and be mindful of the plight of millions of working-class Americans, or is she already in the pocket of corporate America? (Oh, never mind.....I think I know the answer to this one.....)

OMG..I'm listening to AAR and they're talking about Roberts pounding on the window in FL in 2000, training Jeb's disciples, and training the lawyers for the 2000 selection.

Texas grand jury indicts DeLay on new charge
House Majority Leader charged with money laundering

BREAKING NEWS

Updated: 6:36 p.m. ET Oct. 3, 2005
AUSTIN, Texas - A Texas grand jury on Monday indicted U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on a new charge of money laundering.

A different grand jury whose six-month term ended last week indicted him on a conspiracy charge, forcing DeLay to temporarily step down as House majority leader.

Both indictments accuse DeLay and two political associates of conspiring to get around a state ban on corporate campaign contributions by funneling the money through the DeLay-founded Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee to the Republican National Committee in Washington. The RNC then sent back like amounts to distribute to Texas candidates in 2002, the indictment alleges.

Article Continues...........................

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9583433/

England: "This guy was like screaming bloody murder"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usiraqprisoners

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A US soldier convicted of abusing Iraqi prisoners said, in remarks recently made public, she knew of "worse things" happening at Abu Ghraib and insisted military commanders were fully aware of what was going on in Iraq's infamous jail.
The comments, made by Private First Class Lynndie England in her first post-court-martial interview, contradicted assertions by top Pentagon officials that a small group of out-of-control soldiers were responsible for abuse at Abu Ghraib, and that no matter how repulsive that mistreatment was, it did not amount to torture.

England, who became the face of the scandal because of a photograph of her holding a naked prisoner by a leash, was sentenced last Tuesday to three years in prison and ordered to be dishonorably discharged from the Army after a military jury found her guilty of maltreating prisoners and committing an indecent act.

The trial capped a damaging scandal that erupted in 2004, following publication of pictures that showed Abu Ghraib inmates piled up naked on the floor in front of US soldiers, cowering in front of snarling military dogs, chained to beds in stress positions and forced to stand naked in front of female guards.

But England, appearing on NBC's "Dateline" program, said the pictures did not convey the full extent of the abuse that took place in the cell block. "I know worse things were happening over there," admitted the 22-year-old convict. She said one night she heard blood-curdling screams coming from the block's shower room, where non-military interrogators had taken an Arab detainee. "They had the shower on to muffle it, but it wasn't helping," she recalled. "They never screamed like that when we were humiliating. But this guy was like screaming bloody murder. I mean it still haunts me I can still hear it just like it happened yesterday."

This thread at D.U. is interesting because the theory seems to be that by Bush nominating his presidential council who is paid for by the taxpayers that numerous investigations would be fair game to be questioned: DSM, Plame, Rove, torture, ect.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4963562

DeLay Now Indicted for Money Laundering
    
    The Associated Press

    Austin, Texas - A Texas grand jury indicted Rep. Tom DeLay on a new charge of money laundering Monday, less than a week after another grand jury leveled a conspiracy charge that forced DeLay to temporarily step down as House majority leader.

    Both indictments accuse DeLay and two political associates of conspiring to get around a state ban on corporate campaign contributions by funneling the money through a political action committee to the Republican National Committee in Washington.

    The RNC then sent back like amounts to distribute to Texas candidates in 2002, the indictment alleges.

    The new indictment came hours after DeLay's attorneys filed a request to dismiss the case. That request argued that the conspiracy charge was based on a law that was not effective until 2003, the year after the alleged money transfers.

    The judge who will preside in DeLay's case was out of the country on vacation and could not rule on the request. Other state district judges declined to rule on the request in his place, said Colleen Davis, a law clerk to Austin attorney Bill White, also represents DeLay.

My mom sent a whole bunch of news clippings from North Dakota. Lots of good common sense in those "red state" newspapers today! Good to see! Some of this had been mentioned already by Truth Shall Prevail.

- there was alot of skepticism about CAFTA, which will hurt sugar farmers & others

- Karl Rove coming to the state was widely unpopular, as he's seen as manipulative and out-of-step with local moral values esp. ethical. He sought to get moderate Republican governor Hoeven to run against popular Democrat Senator Kent Conrad. Apparently, most people didn't want this and the Governor didn't want to do it either. In letters, Minnesota's governor was used as an example for a Republican governor who doesn't think for himself but is a Republican puppet. Apparently, North Dakotans are fine with the Governor they have and don't want outside Rovian manipulation.

- Third area - the hurricane. Wise, well-written Letters to the Editor appeared several days, asking why things were handled so badly. Also saw a pro-Clinton (missing the days of ..) letter and a couple of anti-Bush administration editorials.

Right on! & my mom has just read "BushWorld" by Maureen Dowd and couldn't put it down. Also just got a Jim Hightower newsletter and she'll enjoy that, as she has no computer and doesn't want one. He said this is an Ownership Society alright, with Katrina as an example - step right up for a coffin ..

Hackett is officially running against Dewine in Oh.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051004/ap_on_el_se/hackett_senate

I HAVE NO LINK SO EXCUSE THE LENGTH

Published on Monday, October 3, 2005 by the Daily Mirror / UK

Secret Paper Links Thatcher to Freebies Probe
by Bob Roberts

A document linking Margaret Thatcher to a US corruption probe is so explosive civil servants have been asked to ensure it remains "sealed".

The 79-year-old former Premier is said to have met Congressman Tom DeLay in Britain while he was on a suspected favours-for-freebies scam.

In return for his free holiday, DeLay - who resigned as Republican leader of Congress last week after being accused of laundering political funds - allegedly backed legislation favourable to lobby groups.

Disclosing that US authorities were seeking aid from UK counterparts, a secret Home Office briefing says: "One visit to the UK involved a meeting with Mrs Margaret Thatcher.

"Evidence is sought from her about that meeting and her involvement in the alleged deception and violation of US criminal laws." Police will "sensitively" investigate the meeting, which took place in May 2000.

In return for his free holiday, DeLay - who resigned as Republican leader of Congress last week after being accused of laundering political funds - allegedly backed legislation favourable to lobby groups.

In the dossier headed "Secret...wider circulation strictly forbidden", civil servants then warn ministers: "There would be considerable press interest in this case if it were to become public knowledge

"We have been asked by the US to keep this request 'sealed', which we take to mean as confidential as possible. This has been relayed to the Crown Office and Metropolitan Police

"Our normal line is that we neither confirm nor deny the existence of any request until it is in the public domain and there is no reason to change that course of action here.

The revelations will be a body-blow to Lady Thatcher's reputation and dash Tory morale on the opening day of its crucial party conference

If Lady Thatcher is found to have been involved in the alleged scam she could face a criminal probe in the US or even be banned from travelling to the country

Her spokesman confirmed police had been in contact about the DeLay meeting. But he insisted there was no question of wrongdoing

The document, leaked to the Mirror, informs ministers there has been an official request for "mutual legal assistance" from the US Department of Justice in Washington

It said the request was part of a deception investigation "involving high-profile American and UK-based individuals, including a leading
Congressman and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher". At the centre of the probe is high-profile lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is already under investigation in the US

The document says: "US officials are investigating whether Abramoff was involved in obtaining legislative assistance from public officials in exchange for arranging and underwriting trips to the UK.

Investigators are also probing whether the public officials filed false reports relating to the trips

The holidays involved playing golf at St Andrews in Scotland, dinner with unnamed members of the Scottish Parliament, theatre trips in London and luxury hotel accommodation

Mr DeLay's staff also scheduled a meeting with Lady Thatcher

The briefing adds that police investigating the meeting "have been asked to handle these inquiries sensitively given the nature of the individual concerned and the background to the request". Members of the Scottish Parliament will be questioned concerning any contacts they may have had with Abramoff, DeLay or members of their party

Scottish police will collect hotel record, bills, invoices, and statements

Lady Thatcher's spokesman said last night: "An approach was made to her office to confirm the bare details of the particular meeting. At this stage we are expecting nothing further

"Lady Thatcher met Mr DeLay as as one politician meeting another. It was in no way a business meeting.

The Thatcher family's reputation has tarnished since she left office

Her son Mark, 52, was fined £265,000 last year for helping to organise an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea

There are also growing fears about the health of Lady Thatcher, who is 80 next Thursday

Yesterday she was described as "increasingly forgetful and forbidden to speak in public"

She has had a number of strokes and is said to have been badly shaken by the collapse of her son's marriage

Congressman DeLay, nicknamed The Hammer because of his tough-guy reputation, denies criminal conspiracy relating to party funds

Abramoff insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing concerning millions of dollars in funding he received for helping Indian tribes set up casinos in their tribal homelands

A Home Office spokesman said: "We neither confirm nor deny receipt of requests of legal assistance."

Copyright 2005 The Daily Mirror (UK)

Conservatives such as the neocon Kristol appear not to favor Miers .. read more at

http://villagevoice.com/news/0540,rozenweb3,68464,2.html

Cheney went on Rush Limbaugh AND Sean Hannity to say that Chuck Rangel is "losing it"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5319656,00.html

Unbelievable - very undignified behavior and shocking when the Vice President of the United States associates with these propagandists and rumor-mongers, proving once again the depths to which he will stoop.

Foreign papers are reporting that Bush has appointed his former personal lawyer who has never been a judge. That's how it looks from the outside, and it matters. It's all so embarrassing, in addition to being scary.

My mom sent a whole bunch of news clippings from North Dakota.

~ snip

He said this is an Ownership Society alright, with Katrina as an example - step right up for a coffin ..

Posted by: DiAnne at October 3, 2005 10:03 PM

DiAnne,

I'm glad you're back. I hope you are going to do an article on your European trip. With all the informative tid-bits, like has it changed much since your last visit? Has the climate toward Americans changed much since your last visit? Etc.....

I often think fondly of your mother. She's got great spirit. You know what I noticed most about her? She loves life!!! (Just like her daughter.)

Conrad has been very proactive. He ran his television ad the week before Rove was scheduled to arrive. And, he was very proactive about the possible base closures in N.D. He gathered petitions and went to the President with them well before the final decisions were made, and
we did not lose one base!! He voted yay on Roberts, but with the Catholic population in this state he may have been looking toward '06.....

I went to your Mom's town week before last for an overnight stay and meetings the next day, but I was a last minute fill-in so didn't have time to call on your Mom. Maybe next time.

I am now on high speed cable, so look for an email from me with a different addy.

Truth Shall Prevail

My mom is definitely still kickin'!!!

From what I hear, Conrad is popular in ND. From living in SD for 10 years and from reading some of the editorials, I think that some of the people there and in ND think more like "independents" than hard core Dems or Repubs. & there are so many local issues, like the CAFTA thing is different if you think in terms of ND farmers or in terms of businessmen.

When I was growing up in SD, there was a deep distrust of "Washington" and "the government" among the small farmers in the eastern part of the state. They mostly grew grains and had a small amount of livestock, like mostly pigs, chickens, dairy cows. Then the large ranchers in the western part of the state had much larger holdings, with alot of beef cattle. They tended to be Republicans and many had ranches also in places like Oklahoma. I lived for awhile on both sides of the state. Then there was the whole matter of the Indian reservations, and my husband and I really see red when we hear about that scum Abramoff.

About Europe, I'm waiting to get all my photos on the computer, as I have some of Amy and I and Andree at our "confab." Overall, I found that people in Europe continued to realize that many of use think for ourselves and don't support the status quo. The changes seem mostly to be shock at how far to the right the govt has gone and at the fact that Hurricane Katrina was so poorly handled and they saw images they would normally associate with a third world country. I didn't find antiAmerican sentiment directed toward me. Actually, I encountered a little hostility but it was from some fellow Americans!!

Five U.S. troops killed in Iraq attacks
U.S. offensives launched in western part of country

Tuesday, October 4, 2005; Posted: 6:58 a.m

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Four U.S. soldiers and a Marine have been killed in attacks in Iraq, military officials said Tuesday.

The deaths were announced on the same day as U.S.-led forces launched their largest-ever offensive in the western province of Anbar, where four of the troops died, military statements said.

Three soldiers from the 2nd Regimental Combat Team, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) died from injuries sustained in a blast Monday, officials said.

All three were involved in combat operations in the Anbar city of Haqlaniya, a statement said, but it was not clear whether they were all killed by the same roadside bomb.

Separately, a U.S. Marine was killed in action Monday by a roadside bomb in the Anbar city of Karabila, a military statement said. The Marine was assigned to the same combat team as the soldiers and was involved in Operation Iron Fist.

A U.S. soldier with the Army's 56th Brigade Combat Team died Monday morning from injuries sustained from a gunshot wound near Taqaddum in central Iraq, a military statement said Tuesday. The incident that happened about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad is under investigation.

The deaths -- which take the total number of U.S. personnel killed in Iraq since the beginning of the war to 1,944 -- were announced on the same day as two more offensives were launched in Anbar province, which borders Syria.

Some 2,500 U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors together with 400 to 500 Iraqi soldiers were deployed for Operation River Gate -- the largest ever offensive for the U.S. military in Anbar, a statement said.

"The operation's goal is to deny al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) the ability to operate in the three Euphrates River Valley cities and to free the local citizens from the insurgents' campaign of murder and intimidation of innocent women, children and men," a U.S. military statement said.

Miers exhibits deep dedication to Bush
Court nominee seen as idealist, not ideologue

By Michael Grunwald, Jo Becker and Amy Goldstein
The Washington Post

Updated: 11:31 p.m. ET Oct. 3, 2005

As a private citizen in Dallas, Harriet Miers was a devoted parishioner and Sunday school teacher at a conservative evangelical church and donated money to an antiabortion group. As a City Council candidate, she opposed the repeal of a law against gay sex. As president of the Texas bar, she led a fight against an abortion rights plank adopted by the American Bar Association. And as President Bush's White House lawyer, she helped vet deeply conservative judges.

But lawyers and others who know Miers in Dallas and Washington say that Bush's latest nominee to the Supreme Court is not a conservative activist. They recall her as a well-regarded corporate litigator, a bridge-building council member, a reform-minded chairman of the Texas lottery and a dedicated Bush loyalist renowned for her long hours but not hard-right ideology. Her red Mercedes was such a fixture in the West Wing lot that colleagues called it an abandoned car; she has never married or had children, and some of her friends believe she has sacrificed her personal life for work.

Miers has earned respect across the political spectrum for fairness and especially for diligence. As Bush's staff secretary, she was known to correct spelling, grammar and even punctuation errors in memos to the president. But she has no judicial experience and not much appellate experience. She clerked for a federal district court judge more than 30 years ago, and Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht says he has dated her "off and on" for decades. But her friends say they have never heard her express any interest in the bench.

"I don't think she ever explored that as a career path," said her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Lang Miers, a judge in Texas.

Rising star
But whatever the holes in her judicial résumé, Miers enjoys the absolute confidence of the president, who once called her "a pit bull in size 6 shoes." In 1988, she donated $1,000 to then-Sen. Al Gore's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, as well as $1,000 to Democratic Sen. Lloyd Bentsen. But ever since she represented Bush in a title dispute over an East Texas fish shack about a dozen years ago, her star has risen with his.

She was the attorney for Bush's gubernatorial transition team in Texas and chaired his state lottery commission. She helped recruit conservative lawyers for Bush during the Florida recount in 2000 and was reportedly assigned during the campaign to conduct a review of his National Guard service. She then moved to Washington as his White House staff secretary, controlling the flow of paper into the Oval Office, and was promoted to deputy chief of staff for policy and then chief counsel. She was a frequent guest at Camp David and helped Bush clear brush at his Crawford ranch.

David Frum, a conservative commentator and former White House staffer, wrote on his blog that Miers once told him the president was the most brilliant man she knows. Many of her colleagues in the White House consider her personal views a bit of a mystery because she has subordinated them to the president's views. "There's a deep, deep trust that the president has for Harriet," said Jack Howard, a former deputy assistant to the president for legislative affairs. "She is really close in."

Hecht, who first met Miers when she interviewed him for a job in the early 1970s, wields one of the most conservative gavels on the Texas bench. He said he has attended several antiabortion dinners with Miers and noted that she has always tithed to the Valley View Christian Church in Dallas, where antiabortion literature is sometimes distributed and tapes from the conservative group Focus on the Family are sometimes screened. He said her personal beliefs would not guide her jurisprudence, but he scoffed at the skepticism that some conservatives have expressed about Bush's selection of Miers.

‘Happy as clams’
"I know what her judicial philosophy will be, and when they find out what this president knows about Harriet, they are going to be happy as clams," Hecht said.

more...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9584097/

Grand jurors see evidence in DeLay case
Panel leader says materials convincing

By Christy Hoppe
The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN, Texas | Grand jurors were presented a load of evidence, including testimony and phone records, that led them to think Rep. Tom DeLay should be tried on a conspiracy charge, the leader of the Travis County grand jury that indicted the congressman said Friday.

"It was not one of those sugarcoated deals that we handed to [District Attorney] Ronnie Earle," William M. Gibson said.

He added: "Mr. Earle has stacks and stacks of papers - evidence of telephone calls from Mr. DeLay and everybody."

DeLay has said Earle has no evidence to prove he tried to subvert state election laws. The Texas Republican's lawyers did not return calls seeking comments on Gibson's description of the grand jury proceedings.

The indictment stems from the activities of Texans for a Republican Majority, a political action committee created by DeLay. The group, known as TRMPAC, is accused of trying to circumvent Texas laws that make it illegal to use corporate or union money in political campaigns.

Labeling it a money laundering scheme, Earle says TRMPAC took $190,000 in corporate donations and routed it, along with the names of seven statehouse candidates, to the Republican National Committee in September 2002. The national committee then sent out $190,000 in contributions to those same seven candidates, who couldn't legally have accepted corporate money.

At the heart of the charge against DeLay is whether he knew about the transaction. Experts on Texas law say knowledge alone might be all that is needed for a conviction under state law.

DeLay, who stepped down as House majority leader when the indictment was issued Wednesday, and his lawyers maintain he knew nothing about the money exchange at the time it happened and that the indictment is a political vendetta against him.

But in the first public acknowledgments of what evidence against DeLay might exist, Gibson, a 76-year-old former sheriff's deputy and state insurance investigator said there was ample indications of the congressman's involvement.

He said DeLay provided the district attorney with a written statement that was given to the grand jury to consider but that DeLay declined to sign a sworn document or testify under oath.

"[DeLay] just gave a statement saying he did nothing. And he didn't know how that money got back down here and all that stuff," Gibson said.

"I am very much convinced that he had" knowledge of the transaction.

DeLay attorney Dick DeGuerin refuted that assertion.

"He had knowledge of it after it happened," DeGuerin said Wednesday. "It wasn't something that he did in advance, or suggested, or anything like that."