Who Is Harriet Miers?

ABC News ^ | Oct. 3, 2005 | ABC News

[GraceCoolidge]

She is single, and has never been married. This is rather unusual, and will raise some questions, certainly.

Like what?

[brazzaville]

Good morning.
"I am another disappointed conservative."

I don't know, todddp, but I just don't get a conservative feeling when I read your post.

Are you sure you're not trying to pull a liberal version of strategery on us?

Michael Frazier

[GraceCoolidge]

I don't think she's gay. I'm just pointing out what others have said. I will say this.... everybody that I have ever known (3 people to be exact) who didn't ever get married has a unique set of issues. None were Gay.... but they all had issues and a different perspective on life than married people.

I think there are lots of reasons to be worried about this nomination, but her marital status isn't one of them. I can't even understand why anyone makes an issue of it. How is her marital status anybody else's business? Is being married (or not) is a qualification for the Supreme Court?

[MineralMan]

"She is single, and has never been married. This is rather unusual, and will raise some questions, certainly.
Like what?"

---

It is unusual in this society for a woman, who is now age 60, never to have been married. The questions, I am afraid, are quite obvious. Some will ask if she is heterosexual or not. That question already appears here and there on the web.

Is it relevant? Personally, I don't think so, but the question will be raised. If you haven't already seen it raised, you will.

Don't conflate my acknowledgement that a question will be asked with my asking the question.

[GeorgiaDawg]

This is disappointing, but I'm wondering...think he's trotting Miers out, hoping she might not get confirmed, and then putting out his real nominee??

Nah....me either, but that would have made an interesting strategery.

[steveegg]

In short, though she may be an unknown to the outside world, she is very well known to Bush. She knows that Bush wants a new Justice in the mold of Scalia and Thomas. She will be such a Justice....

All I have to say is you better be right. THe political donation record, which is all we have to go on, suggests otherwise.

[sitetest]

Dear MineralMan,

"Is it relevant? Personally, I don't think so,..."

I don't know. Rumor has it that there is currently a sitting justice who is a homosexual. One wonders how this has played out in rulings in recent years concerning homosexuality, privacy rights, and yes, abortion.

I think one can make the case that it is relevant, in that it may represent an otherwise-hidden bias.


sitetest

[GraceCoolidge]

Well, Dr. Rice has never been married. As for questions being asked, the Democrats are the last ones who should be asking them. I admit the idea of Ted Kennedy or Hillary Clinton questioning why she isn't married is entertaining, though. After all, not every woman is lucky enough to find a caring, attentive, sober, faithful husband like Ted Kennedy or Bill Clinton!

To me, suggestions that she is homosexual simply because she never has married are offensive. I see it as on par with questions about the circumstances of Judge Roberts' adoption of his children, or John Kerry's debate reference to the Cheneys' daughter.

From what I've read, this candidate has been affiliated with Christian organizations, suggesting that she is unlikely to be a homosexual rights activist. Being married is no guarantee of heterosexuality, nor is it a guarantee of conservative voting. I don't see any reason for concern about her advocating an unconstitutional homosexual rights agenda, certainly not if the only basis for that suspicion is that she never has been married. Is Justice Ginsburg married? I believe so, yet marriage certainly doesn't seem to have diminished her credentials with the homosexual rights lobby.

I agree with you that the question should not be raised. I find it so inappropriate that I also would say it should not be acknowledged or seriously debated by Washington. Perhaps I misunderstood your post; I thought you were saying the fact that "questions will be raised" suggested she should not have been appointed. To the extent that these "questions" are raised by Democrats, it simply will further demonstrate the hypocrisy of the left. Those who would proclaim her as homosexual only because she never has been married I would call ignorant, regardless of political affiliation.

[Mike Darancette]

And our president is a politician, like all other presidents.

And a misunderestimated one at that. :)

[MineralMan]

"Perhaps I misunderstood your post; I thought you were saying the fact that "questions will be raised" suggested she should not have been appointed. "

You did misunderstand. Personally, I don't think it is or should be an issue. It will be, however, and not just from the left, I'm afraid.

[rollo tomasi]

"What evidence has Bush given so far that he will do the right thing? The fact that he's never vetoed anything? The massive spending increases? The paltry tax cuts? His abandonment of all principle on the topic of rebuilding NO? Amnesty for illegals? Federalizing airport security? Drugs for fogies? "No child left behind", co-authored with the Drunken Kennedy?"

Don't forget, the promise to vote on a bill dealing with Social Security reform.

Washington DC is a mess that refuses to hire a housekeeper.

Voters send the same crap with different labels up there every two years. Nothing is being done about spending, only worship to their the god called other people's 'manna' plus don't forget, consensus, while maintaining the staus quo.

As for Ms. Miers wait and see. It looks like she is a 180 compared to O'Connor. More conservative as Ms. Miers ages as opposed to more a "tolerant" and expert of international law (In relation to the US Constitution), as O'Connor became when she aged.

[crazycat]

Well said. A voice of common sense.

If Bush has known her for 10 yrs, then he will know well her thinking.

[RobbyS]

Miers is from Dallas, not New England.

[DallasMike]

Not only that, but one of her closest friends and fellow church members -- Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht -- says that her social views are in line with those of the conservative, evangelical church that they both attend.

 

       

        <-------- Visit Stingray blogsite for conservative Christian commentary

[Clump]

I wonder how many of you "this is it, I'm outta here" folks have stopped to consider how much you really owe this lady for her considerable input on a whole slew of appellate judges many of you have been praising.

Your argument is akin to a point I made a few days ago about why Bush would select a true conservative. His appellate court nominees have been outstanding thus far. I did not expect he would change course, and now we will have to see.

As an aside, the SCOTUS is the most important reason I worked hard to get GWB and Tom Coburn elected. I consider that "single issue" voters to be some of the most passionate people I have met.

[Souled_Out]

"the President's approval ratings have gone down which makes Congress nervous, being the cowards that they are"

---

Your logic seems to be that because his ratings are down it's OK to make a cowardly choice. I disagree completely with that idea, now is the time to stand up for what you truly believe in and I think that the President did just that. He made the cowards choice.

---

"she is the best person who he could have named who is conservative and who could get confirmed"

---

I'm not sure I agree with you on this point either.

There is no doubt in anyones mind the JRB is a conservative and I think she could get appointed with the help of the Vice President and of course we would also deal the death blow to the idea that SCJ's can be filibustered.

My posts do not take issue with your point of view, you may be completely correct in your assumptions, time will tell.

I take issue with your cheap shots at men and your method of reasoning. Because we disagree does not make me a "girlie man" no more than it makes you a she male.

[proudpapa]

Six years ago, Dick Cheney was helping Bush find a running mate.

I'd say that worked out pretty well.

[SuziQ]

I felt better about Miers before I learned she donated to Algore, Lloyd Bentsen, and the DNC during the 80s while she was in her mid-40s...

In the 80's Algore was still pro-life, and many folks who now know better did the same. Anyway, I just heard on Rush that her donations to him and Bentsen were of a corporate nature because of her law firm, that they were not personal donations.

[jmc813]

Shhh... Let it go, Peach. No matter who is was, this was going to be the reaction anyway.

You honestly think that had Bush nominated Brown, Luttig, or Owen, FReepers would be complaining? I think you might want to read up on some FR SCOTUS threads preceding today's nomination.

[SuziQ]

Frankly, I'm glad she's not a judge. That means she's been doing REAL work for longer than some. She's been a corporate lawyer, and dealing with governmental regulations for the last 20 years or so, so she's in a unique position to judge cases dealing with business matters. How many of the other Supremes have had this experience?