Actually, so was Sam Alito. The reason that Miers failed was that she didn't do well in her interviews. And Alito was one of his top choices, at the ready when Miers failed (who was also chosen because she had the judicial philosophy that he wanted in a SC justice).
The credit for Alito goes to entirely Bush. Both Roberts and Alito had the originalist Constitutional philosophy that President Bush understood was critical to the future of this country and reflected his own conservative judicial philosophy. And because of his choices, this dear Republic of ours is hanging on by a thread. Bush's thread. You can't take credit for either man.
Any thing else you'd like to have cleared up? I'm here for you. :)
You are clueless here. Miers had no judicial experience. She would have to have actual judicial experience before she could have a judicial philosophy. She was an administrator; she didn't deal in law. She wasn't even a working lawyer. To say she didn't do well in interviews is world class understatement; she didn't do well because she was poorly qualified.
All of us here with knowledge of law have opinions of constitutional law, but we cannot be said to have a judicial philosophy. Nor can she.
Her only asset was the flip side of the coin of her inexperience; she had no judicial record. I remember how well that worked with his dad and Souter.
Sam Alito, on the other hand, was/is considered to be one of the brightest legal minds of this generation, in the same neighborhood as Roberts.
She was a crony appointment. W had to be beat about the head and shoulders to change his mind.
In baseball terms, Roberts is a grand-slam HR. Alito is a 2 RBI HR. On her best day, Miers is maybe a single.
That episode illustrates that when we hire someone, we have to keep a short leash. I was an early supporter of W and I'm comfortable acknowledging his shortcomings. He got along well with people, but he was not a good judge of people, and was inappropriately loyal to his friends.
Since we're the 'bosses,' that's our responsibility.
I'd say you did have to have your memory refreshed, if I were kind...what I suspect instead is that you weren't aware of this at the time. One can't be reminded of something one never knew.
Maybe you can pay attention next time...