CITING ‘DIVERSITY’ BUSH PICKS WHITE WOMAN FOR SUPREME COURT

Oblivious candidate smiles

Washington, (WPI) - President Bush nominated Harriet E. Miers, the White House counsel, as his choice to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor this morning. Ms. Miers, 60, a longtime confidant of the president's, has never been a judge.

Announcing the selection at the White House, Mr. Bush lauded Ms. Miers. "She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice."

Working mainly for the Bush family for most of her career, Ms. Miers has never written a judicial decision. In 1995, Mr. Bush, then governor of Texas, named her chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission. Ms. Miers, who received her bachelor's and law degrees from Southern Methodist University, was also an at-large member of the Dallas City Council.

The president said that while considering his choice in recent days, Ms. Miers had "stood out as being exceptionally well-suited" to replace the retiring Justice O'Connor.

“We put together a small team, actually way back in June, to select new judges,” Bush said. “Mostly, Dick , Karl, Laura, Tom DeLay and me did the thinking on it. We sort of knew that if we got our guy in as Chief Justice the next appointment might be a little tougher. That’s why we thought of Harriet. She’s tough, she’s loyal. She has a lot of money, a good career and she’s willing to take one for the party, if needs be.”

This morning Mr. Bush claimed that the White House had consulted 80 senators for names in the selection process. However, only last week, Senator Charles E. Schumer, the New York Democrat who is on the judiciary panel, said that it was "consultation in name only." He revealed that Ms. Miers had been the functionary who had called him to ask for suggestions and that the call lasted less than five minutes.

"There is no back and forth," he said. "It's just, 'Give us some names.' I said to her, 'Look, I'd like to know who the president is considering.' And she didn't say anything. She just chuckled."

The President praised his nominee saying she, "will not legislate from the bench." Judges are prohibited from writing legislation under the separation of powers provision of the US Constitution.

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In 1996, Mr. Bush described Ms. Miers as being "a pit bull in Size 6 shoes." after extracting him from some sticky last minutes law suits relating to his ownership of the Texas Ranger baseball team.

“Well, some people might also describe her as a lamb,” said Vice President Dick Cheney somewhat cryptically. “Harriet is a good candidate for this go-round... She’s lucky. She’s never run for office so she doesn’t yet know how tough the process can be. The hard questions, the pain of losing. It’s easy to volunteer for the mission if you've never seen combat before.”

Never having served in any judiciary capacity Ms. Miers lacks a history of court rulings that would reveal ideological tendencies. Her positions on such important social issues as abortion and affirmative action are not clear. Nor can they be.

First lady Laura Bush has known the nominee for many years and felt Ms. Miers was capable of the role she was selected to play. “Harriet is tough. She knows that the Senate will really scrutinize the candidate this time. She’s prepared for the role she has to play.”

Critics have already begun to line up. Senator Hillary Clinton Democrat of New York, said, “John Roberts evaded the answers to questions regarding his legal ideology because he is a shifty, clever lawyer, but at least he was a judge! Ms. Mier has absolutely no judicial record! How can she even have any legal perspectives?”

“I know Harriet,” the President said, “She’s tough. She told me that if somebody has to fall on a sword she would do it gladly. That’s loyalty.”

Senator Patrick Leahy, the Vermont Democrat on the judiciary panel, commented, “I am shocked by this selection. It’s obvious she can’t pass muster. I just wonder who the Neocon nightmare is standing in the wings.”

“Bush’s personal lawyer?” exclaimed Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts. “Served on the Dallas city council? How does that make you qualified for the Supreme Court? She’s a lamb all right. A rack of lamb cooked and served up by Karl Rove!”

Shaking his head he added, “Whoever is in the closet must be really, really bad.””