Hooray! Now Bush Can Really Lay the Wood to the Left

Miers withdraws nomination

Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:37 AM ET
By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, White House counsel Harriet Miers, abruptly withdrew from consideration on Thursday after fierce criticism from the right and the left about her credentials for the lifetime job.

Bush said in a statement he reluctantly accepted her withdrawal and would move in a timely manner to fill the vacancy left open by the pending retirement of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

In a letter to Bush released by the White House, Miers said she was concerned that the Senate confirmation process "presents a burden for the White House and our staff that is not in the best interest of the country."

Some opponents had mounted a campaign to force her withdrawal and some conservative senators had expressed doubts as to whether Miers was sufficiently conservative to move the divided nine-member high court firmly to the right.

Some Democrats were also skeptical about whether she was against a woman's right to abortion, a hugely divisive issue that could come before the Supreme Court.

As a reason for pulling out, Miers, 60, cited the need to maintain privacy of internal records of her White House service that members of Congress wanted to see but Bush wanted to keep confidential.

"I have been informed repeatedly that in lieu of records, I would be expected to testify about my service in the White House to demonstrate my experience and judicial philosophy," Miers wrote.

This is great news for Conservatives. Miers was far too much of an unknown quantity. Her nomination was one of President Bush's worst decisions, and now at last that has been rectified. Harriett Miers did the best thing for the Nation and the President. We should applaud her for her good judgment. Now Mr. President please nominate a strong, unapologetic Conservative like Janice Rogers Brown. Please, Please, Please, Janice Rogers Brown.

Full Story: Miers Graciously Bows Out

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