Here is the Hero of Chappaquiddick in an AP story:
"He must listen to all Americans, not just the far right," said Sen. Edward Kennedy.Here's Harry Reid:
"The radical right wing of the Republican Party killed the Harriet Miers nomination." _ Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid.And Ralph Neas (PFAW):
"Ultraconservatives are so determined to swing the Supreme Court to the right that they pounded their own president's nominee into submission and now demand a nominee with unquestioned far-right credentials." _ Ralph Neas, president of the liberal People for the American Way.I'm sure there are more.
These people couldn't be more wrong. Nobody is served by having radicals on the Court. Nobody.
Those in the anti-Miers camp had their own reasons...and there were plenty of reasons ...to oppose her. For me, it came down to the fact that we had no way of knowing what kind of judge she would make. When given the opportunity to defend her, the White House said, "trust me." This from the son of "read my lips, no new taxes."
No thanks.
But let's not make a mistake about just who the anti-Miers camp is. These characters usually mean the "religious right" when they call out the "far right." That isn't who opposed Miers. In fact, the Dobson crowd was all for her. Remember that when you hear these people screaming about theocracy and refer to the Republican Party as the "American Taliban."
The anti-Miers camp is represented by mainstream Republicans. The GOP base. Nothing radical or "far right" about that.
Side note: I just heard some Democrat on the radio (was it Chappaquiddick Teddy?) saying this is an opportunity to "unite America" with a nominee. Nonsense. No nominee is going to "unite" Republicans and Democrats at this point. It just doesn't work that way anymore.
