California Conservative

The Washington Times’ Charles Hurt says that Harriet Miers isn’t just seen as lacking judicial experience but also the intellect to do the job. Here’s a couple of the snotty quotes that got my blood boiling:

Sen. Trent Lott, Mississippi Republican and Bush supporter, took issue with that answer. “Is she the most qualified person?” he asked aloud on MSNBC this week. “Clearly, the answer to that is ‘No.’ There are a lot more people, men, women and minorities that are more qualified in my opinion by their experience than she is.”

Other lawmakers on Capitol Hill have made similar suggestions, though they’ve been a little more politic.

Trent Lott is the last person to be shooting his mouth off in terms of qualifications. After taking over, if you could call it that, for Bob Dole, Lott’s time of ‘leading’ the Senate Republican caucus wasn’t exactly distinguished. His lack of pushing an agenda in 1998 helped Democrats not lose seats in that midterm election.

Then there’s the Strom Thurmond matter. Clearly he isn’t a racist like his comments suggest. Still, his comments were stupid, his words poorly chosen. When you’re a senator, words are what you do for a living. Yes, I know it’s policy that’s the goal but it’s words that help persuade people to your side of the argument. Clearly, he was in over his head.

“It’s very hard to learn it all in six weeks,” Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat and member of the Judiciary Committee, chuckled to reporters this week. “Someone suggested facetiously that we should ask for the hearings to be Monday.”

I’m making this prediction right now: Harriet Miers will run roughshod on Chuck Schumer’s first round with her. Schumer’s a legend in his own mind. Miss Miers is a woman of great accomplishments who didn’t get there by happenstance. You don’t get to be the first woman managing partner of a large law firm without being brilliant. You don’t get to lead the White House Counsel’s office by being mediocre.

For those that haven’t noticed, Harriet Miers’ career is dotted with great accomplishments, the product not only of hard work & selflessness but great intellect, too.

I’ve been keeping track of which people have said the most disgusting things about her so I can email them the recipe for crow.

Sen. Sam Brownback, the Kansas Republican who is unconvinced that Miss Miers should be confirmed, called Justice Roberts “a rock star.” “You’re really following Elvis here in this situation here,” he said, before quickly adding: “She has her own sets of qualifiers.”

Mr. Schumer observed that Miss Miers will face tough questions from both the left and the right at her hearings. “She’s got a tougher job than Roberts, you know, all things being equal,” he said. “And — no disrespect to her — all things aren’t equal because Roberts is one of the most brilliant people who ever has come before us.”

Such comments brought charges of sexism from Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, Maryland Democrat. “I’m shocked at the sexism and double standard coming out of the far right,” she said, emphasizing that she hasn’t made up her mind on how she’ll vote. “They’re saying that a woman who was able to become head of the Texas Bar Association isn’t qualified. They’re saying a woman who was one of the first to head up a major law firm with over 400 lawyers doesn’t have intellectual heft.”

Ms. Mikulski would do well to include Chuck Schumer amongst those that use double standards. As far as sexism, I don’t see it. I do agree with Sen. Mikulski that someone with the credentials that Harriet Miers has is more than qualified.

Cross-posted at Confirmation Whoppers

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 8th, 2005 at 10:18 am and is filed under Author: Gary Gross, DNC, Judiciary, Law, RNC, W. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.