What's After Harriet?

I stood by her 'til the end, but I'm glad Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination on the eve of hearings. I think the woman today is different from the woman of the early 1990s, and I think such changes can be permanent, so it's likely we would have gotten in Miers an ally to the Scalia side of the court.

But the fight would have been bruttal, and it would have been over all the wrong things. That's hardly unusual for our sick and twisted judicial confirmation process, but it would have been particularly unseemly to see GOP Senators grilling her on whether she is a strict constructionist.

What's next?

For Harriet, most likely some very busy and anonymous times at the White House Counsel's office, since it looks like Fitzgerald may be increasing her work load some. And then, in 2008, a job suiting her now higher profile.

For Bush, hopefully, getting it right. Here's my litmus test:

• Member of the Federalist Society and proud of it.
• Writings or better yet, decisions supporting an originalist/strict constructionist view.
• Writings or better yet, decisions showing that he or she would see Roe v. Wade is bad law.
• And someone who indicates a bit of chutzpah on the part of the Prez; someone who signals to the Dems that the GOP will stand up for its beliefs despite the likes of Schumer and Leahy.

Let's have a good fight over the right issues this time,with conservatives united against those who are using the courts to force their unpopular agenda on America.