"Face it guys, we don't have the votes to obtain a Priscilla Owens or a Janic Rogers Brown. Furthermore, after being stabbed in the back by his own party the President would be in no position to win such a fight; he would have definitely been weakened by losing the Miers nomination."
You are surely right that it might be difficult to hold the many panty-waisted Republican Senators in line if the President made a bold nomination of a real strict-constructionist. Part of that is his own fault for backing Specter over Toomey, etc. Nevertheless, Bush would be doing the right thing in doing so. He also could have a one-on-one with Frist, grow him a spine, tell him every GOP Senator will be held in line or else, and let Mr. Specter know that he will be chairman of the Senate Office Building Toilet Committee rather than Judiciary if such a nominee is not voted out of committee. When LBJ was Senate majority leader, he held tight control over the Dim Senators. It's beyond time for the Pres. and Repub. Senate to get tough and give America a Supreme Court justice who will be true to the constitution.
Ok, it gets out of committe and is then filibustered in the Senate...Don't forget the gang of 14. I do not believe this is a fight the President can win.
Also, you must face facts, there are 7-8 Rinos in the Senate. We do not have enough conservatives to get tough right now. Maybe if we get our act together we can elect a few more conservatives, but a big fight now could hurt the GOP in 2006.