Michelle Malkin, a woman I adore [editor: me, too] — from a safe distance — tells us that those of us who are not outraged by the Harriet Miers nomination are "rationalizing Bush." Well, mebbe so, Michelle, m'love. But being a Bush—brained robot has some advantages. In fact, let's wriggle into Bush's Brain and really check it out ...

Here is what we might find:

"Lemme see, now... All the conservatives want a hundred percent pro—life conservative on the Supremes ... But nobody knows what somebody will do 10, 20 years from now. How do I know John Roberts won't turn into Souter or Kennedy? Fact is, I don't. ... It's what Truman said: Can't trust a soul in Washington. I've got three years left. Every day my clout fades a little.

"Who can I trust ten years from now?  Well, there's Laura. There's Cheney. I can trust my ole buddy Alberto Gonzalez, as long as I'm here, but he's gonna go places on his own, have different loyalties. I've made him Attorney General, and he's set for life. I don't owe him.

"How many people do you really, honestly know, inside out?  Well, I've known Harriet for 14 years, gone through thick and thin with her. Used to be a Democrat, but Texas style, down home, good solid values. I think I know her about as well as a human being can. She's a good lawyer, tough as nails when she needs to be. Not Ivy League, but a solid Texas lady.  I think I know where she's coming from just about as well as I know Mom and Dad. Don't think she'll change when the winds blow some other way...

"How about all the big names? They're smart enough. A lot of 'em are good folks. Janice Rogers Brown is one hell of a powerful lady, but it's going to take whatever  political capital I've got left  to get her on the Court. If I get a third nomination next year, maybe I can gamble everything, put her up and watch the fireworks. Right now I'm trying to hold my chips, try to get some of my program through the Senate. Need those Senators to take a gamble for Soshecurity Reform, extend the tax cut, hang in with Iraq...  And next year is midterm elections. If we lose three GOP Senators, we lose everything, period. I don't need a big political war right now. There's no guarantee we can hold our edge in Congress...

"So I need somebody I can trust the rest of their lives. That's hard. I need somebody who won't suck up all the political chips I've got left. That's hard. And I need somebody who won't piss off the Democrats so much that my next nominee is dead on arrival.

"Y'know, Harriet is looking better and better..."

James Lewis   10 04 05