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October 21, 2005
Is Ben Barnes The Kiss Of Death For Miers?
My wait-and-see neutrality on Harriet Miers is slowly eroding. I've been willing to trust the President and give her a chance to make a favorable impression--which should be easy for her to do if she is as qualified as GWB says she is.
Then there were reports that she was failing to make that favorable impression in her courtesy call meetings with Senators. The White House has put the kibosh any more such meetings. Worrisome.
Now Captain Ed examines John Fund's reporting on some dealings the Texas Lottery Commission had with none other than Ben Barnes--a name familiar to any Texan over forty as a professional sleazebag from way back (not to mention his much more recent involvement in the SwiftVets story). Harriet Miers was chair of the Lottery Commission when Barnes was employed as a very highly paid lottery lobbyist. Captain Ed also reports that Bush ran up a huge bill for Miers's legal services during the same period. Much more worrisome.
This is getting to point at which Miers's future performance becomes irrelevant. To a big chunk of the electorate, appearances are everything, and the appearances say that the administration is disorganized, stubborn, and wants to reward old friends rather than adhere to a principled vision. Apperances may be right in this case. With skeletons like these hanging around the question shifts to asking why didn't Bush's vetting process do a better job. These questionable actions weren't exactly drug up from ancient history.
Ben Barnes. Ben Barnes! There is no way in hell that guy's name should ever be mentioned in the same breathe as a Supreme Court nominee offered by George W. Bush.
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» Miers Nomination Stuck In A Mire! from Oblogatory Anecdotes
Last weekend I predicted that if Harriet Miers nomination did not pick up steam by the end of the week that her prospects are doomed. If anything things have only gotten worse. Today the Wall Street Journal’s Opinion Journal has come out against her.... [Read More]
Tracked on October 21, 2005 08:19 PM
