Wingers "discovering" Rove et al. are only too happy to eat their own

[BurtWorm]

Two instances of this discovery arise in the last couple of days. Here's one from the National Review Online:

http://bench.nationalreview.com/archives/079481.asp

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Alice Batchelder was reportedly on the Administration’s short list for a Supreme Court vacancy at some point. According to FNC’s Brit Hume, she was struck from the list because of a record of “judicial activism.” In response to Bill Kristol’s suggestion that Batchelder would have been a better nominee on Fox News Sunday, Hume said

I can tell you this about Alice Batchelder. She was very, very closely vetted. And you know what they found? They found all kinds of evidence of activism in her record. And they were quite surprised and not pleased to find that.

Those familiar with Batchelder’s record were surprised at the charge. Over at No Left Turns, Robert Alt wonders where Hume got the idea that Batchelder is an “activist.”

When Kristol questioned this new smear tactic, Brit incredulously suggested that this is something he found on his own. But, as Brit’s first statement makes clear, the only way he could have gotten this information about White House opinion is by hearing it from the White House (unless of course he is simply reporting second hand reports—which would mean that he was engaging in rather loose reporting practices).

If the White House was the source of this charge (and other unflattering and even more spurious notions floated about Batchelder in recent weeks), it is very troubling. As Alt observes, smearing qualified candidates for the Court is no way for this administration to win back the trust and loyalty of the conservative base.



And from John Fund, also on the Miers nomination:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110007398

The skepticism is not abating. Back home, the Liberty Legal Institute, the only conservative legal foundation in Texas, has so far declined to endorse her. Several large GOP donors in Texas have met to discuss spending large sums to run ads calling on Ms. Miers to withdraw. "They include both male and female friends of hers who don't think the confirmation process will be good for her or the country," one told me. "They're not sexists, they're realists." This even though the White House has ominously put out the word in Texas: "If you oppose this nomination, you oppose the president." Everyone knows what the political ramifications of that can mean in the world of George W. Bush and Karl Rove.

[Straight Shooter]

1. "political ramifications"

*snort*

Let's see if there are any ramifications once Fitzgerald is through with Rove and bush, et al.

[electropop]

2. More like "health ramifications."

Oppose her, and you'd better avoid small planes, and watch for white powder in your mail.

[yellowcanine]

3. Beware the wounded bear. They are the worst kind. Bush is wounded.

Rove is wounded. DeLay is wounded. A wounded bear trifecta!

[electropop]

4. Fitz is going to have to go for the jugular.

If he leaves the top people in power, he will be in danger.