The Tony Snow Show Thread, Wednesday October 5, 2005

Fox Radio/Tony Snow | 10/5/2005 | Tony Snow

[SE Mom]

He is calm and reassuring..I respect him tremendously.

[conservativecorner]

Read this for additional enlightenment:


RELIABLE VOTE [Jonah Goldberg]

The more I think about it, the more I think there's something inherently corrupt about the "she's a reliable vote" argument. I'm not singling any reader, blogger or activist out because this argument tends to reside amidst a lot of other arguments and other rhetoric. At its core, the "reliable vote" argument suggests that that's all that matters -- a conservative vote. Without casting aspersions on others, that's not good enough for me (and it may be grotesquely unfair to Miers). If all that's required is a reliable vote, National Review and the Heritage Foundation have plenty of interns who will do just fine. As George Will writes this morning, Bush's pick of Miers smacks of identity politics (a point several of us have made around here) and how it suggests that Bush sees the Court as a representative body. The reliable vote argument is imbedded in this view of the court. It says that arguments and due dilligence don't matter. What matters is that "our side" gets its voice on the Court, period.

This sounds to me a bit like the "results-oriented conservatism" some on the web are touting in Miers' defense. Who needs all that pointy-headed intellectual stuff if at the end of the day she votes the same way? (I assume some of these people defended Clarence Thomas against the charge that he's Scalia's sidekick. But why bother if the vote is all that matters?) Conservatives, I thought, were supposed to believe ideas have consequences, that American institutions -- chief among them the Supreme Court and the Constitution -- have specific and organic roles to play in the culture which depend on intellectual honesty, opposition to cant, and a dispassionate rejection of the politicization of the law. The reliable vote argument -- absent other rationales -- runs counter to all of these. This becomes obvious when you imagine a Democratic President appointing a confidante with few obvious credentials for the Supreme Court. A president Kerry could hardly convince any of us that his pick should be confirmed because she's a reliable vote.

This is not to say I am against reliable votes on the court, but the reason why they are reliable is to me vitally important. Scalia and Thomas are fairly reliable votes because they have a grounding in philosophy and an intellectual consistency that even their greatest critics respect (at least in the case of Scalia; Thomas still gets unfair treatment). Miers may have these qualities too. There's simply little to no evidence that she does at this point. I for one hope she reveals herself as a grander intellect than her detracters claim she is. I hope she reveals herself to be more than a reliable vote.

[McGruff]

I heard Andrea Mitchell say today that she has been listening to the conservative talk shows in the past couple of days and they have been extremely critical of the presidents pick.

That makes me wonder if she has been lurking of Free Republic to see the Civil War that has been going on here.

The RATS and the MSM must be enjoying these past couple of days.

[Mo1]

Coulter is getting too big for her britches, period

I am so bleeping angry at that radio interview I just listened to

[auboy]

Your filibuster has been duly noted.

[b4its2late]

I just got done listening an interview of Ann Coulter from yesterday where she was calling for the President's Impeachment

Now that's going way over the edge, but I do have to agree with Anne that this nomination is not the one we should have going up now.

She might be a good pick if the President is fortunate enough to get another pick before his term ends.

But I'm willing to listen to the hearings.

[radioproducer]

Maybe you should listen to this radio interview, it might make you feel better.

Interesting stuff about Miers' constitutional knowledge.

[mystery-ak]

Of course, they are loving this...they know the Repub party better than we do...divide and conquer has always been their aim..

[TomGuy]

This guy Tony is interviewing is talking around the questions, not answering them.

That is all we seem to be getting about Miers --- talking around the questions, but not giving answers.

[Miss Marple]

Don't get me started. Ann Coulter is successful only because women like Harriet Miers pioneered in law, working the long hours, putting up with the snide comments from men who were her inferiors, sacrificing family life for a career. Without women like Harriet Miers, Ann Coulter would have had to get a degree in teaching or nursing (the only acceptable professions for women when I was young).

Harriet Miers may not be the best choice. She is probably the best choice that can be confirmed, given so many weasels in the Senate.

For Ann Coulter to act the way she has been acting is shameful. She has denigrated SMU as a "second-tier" school and referred to Miers as "some sort of legal secretary."

Well, Ann Coulter may have a degree from Cornell, big whoop. She hasn't practiced law in a long time, and makes her money appearing on TV and selling books. Harriet Miers became the head of the largest law firm in Texas and the first woman president of the Texas Bar Association. I personally think that is a greater acomplishment than 100 hours logged on Hannity's Show.

Ann Coulter.

[defconw]

Coulter did not like Roberts either.

[conservativecorner]

You want to note all my posts? Have at it. LOL!

[Mo1]

Interesting stuff about Miers' constitutional knowledge.

I am listening .. and yes it was a good interview

[Liberty Valance]

Good morning. Sorry I'm late. My son ate my homework ;o)

[SE Mom]

HAAA! If you thought THAT raised your BP- here is a quote from George Will's latest:

"In addition, the president has forfeited his right to be trusted as a custodian of the Constitution. "

IF, and I mean IF, George Will HONESTLY believes this statement- he ought to be calling for impeachment. Otherwise- this statement is irresponsible in the extreme.

[mystery-ak]

Good post....and I agree.

[Bahbah]

She has denigrated SMU as a "second-tier" school and referred to Miers as "some sort of legal secretary."

I found that particularly distastful.

[retrokitten]

For Ann Coulter to act the way she has been acting is shameful. She has denigrated SMU as a "second-tier" school and referred to Miers as "some sort of legal secretary."

Sounds like jealousy. Ann has always struck me as the type to say shocking things just for the sake of being shocking. I know she's been popular with conservatives for quite some time, but I've never really been a fan.

[Miss Marple]

Would that be the same George Will who makes most of his income from ABC News and the Washington Post? Would that be the same George Will who wants the Constitution amended so that Granholm can run for president? That George Will?

[saveliberty]

LOL! Good morning! Well at least he got his fiber!