That’s got to be how every conservative is feeling today. Let’s step back a moment from the actual Miers nomination, and think about the historical and political impact.

As Jonah Goldberg has recently written, this may be as good as it gets. A Republican President and a Republican Senate, and Bush runs from a fight. Will any future President gather the testicular fortitude to nominate someone who we might actually have an idea of what they think? At least Reagan nominated Bork and had him shot down by a Democratic Senate and at least Bush I had to deal with a Democratic Senate with the Souter debacle.

Has Bush has sacrificed all on the homefront at the alter of his foreign policy?

As for Miers herself, I put all trust in Edward Whelan, and this may be the best analysis we have so far. Click here. I think it speaks volumes that the most we know about Miers is from anonymous sources.

Earlier today I predicted Patrick would write a ridiculous puff piece about Harriet Miers, and wow was I write and its worse than I could have imagines. I think Patrick is a good guy no doubt, but he is so way off on this one that it boggles me. Here is the article.

As our picture of Miers comes into clearer focus, the Souter II narrative begins to strain credulity. It requires us to believe that the President who gave us Janice Rogers Brown, Michael McConnell, Bill Pryor, Priscilla Owen – and no RINO that I could name at the Circuit or District Court level, who fought the fight on Miguel Estrada, and who had originally orchestrated the masterful trade of Roberts-for-O’Connor, would suddenly punt at this critical moment. It also requires us to believe that Miers, who has worked with Bush for a decade, who is the White House staffer most intimitately involved with vetting nominees’ judicial philosophies, and is one of the people Bush knows best, has been able to hide her true beliefs from her boss until – Ah, ha! – she donned the judge’s robe. I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is the same thing as an unknown from New Hampshire handpicked by Warren Rudman.

Translation: Just trust the establishment, we know what’s best. Don’t rock the boat nor speak out against the establishment.

Now let me clarify, I can still be convinced Miers is palatable but that is a far cry from ourstanding. We needed another Scalia or Thomas and NO ONE is arguing that’s what she represents. All I can say is that if Bush wanted to go down with a legacy of Fordesqe policy he made a big step ahead today.

Something I never expected to write: Bill Kristol is totally on target in his reaction to the Miers nomination. Check it out

If President Bush has finally managed to hack off the “National Greatness” conservatives at the Standard, then he does not have a leg to stand on. So far as I can tell, the neo-cons were the last major conservative group the President had yet to totall piss off.

Incidentally, the radio is playing Pink Floyd’s “Momentary Lapse of Reason” as I type this….

Ryan Lizza of the New Republic has an interesting writeup on Miers that seems to indicate she supports the ICC and opposes laws on gay adoption, though the evidence used is that she chaired a committee that produced a report which adopted those provisions. Its not strong evidence, but it gives me more worries.

UPDATE: Sen. Reid very enthusiastic about Miers. The bad news keeps coming.
UPDATE: Read Santorum’s release here. Its downright cold compared to Harry Reid’s. If Rick votes no, I think it will really help him with the base back in Pennsylvania, not sure how the White House will react though.

Florida town to use emminent domain to displace 6,000 residents to build “yachting/housing” project

We need solid conservatives on the court that will oppose this sort of… oh wait we already lost that battle.

Harriet Miers gave money to Gore!?

In 1988, Miers, then a lawyer in private practice, donated $1,000 to Gore, the Tennessee Democrat then seeking the party’s presidential nomination, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Gore eventually bowed out and Michael Dukakis secured the nomination.

This is beyond disturbing, is President Bush trying to give me a stroke? It gets worse:

Miers also gave $1,000 to another prominent Democrat _ Lloyd Bentsen, the longtime Texas senator who in 1988 ran for re-election and also was Dukakis’ vice presidential choice on the Democratic ticket that year.

Just shoot me.

Miers contributed $1,000 to the Democratic National Committee Services Corp. in 1988.

It would seem that she only started giving to Republicans and then only Bush in 2000 and that was after she was employed by the guy.

I am calling it now, we cannot let this woman on the Supreme Court.

EDIT: Sorry Nate, I didn’t realize that you had already posted that same link.

It seems that some conservatives are already going to war.

From Human Events:

Harriet Miers contributed $250 to Clinton for President Committee on December 23, 1991, according to Federal Election Commission records. She did not contribute any money to the reelection of President Bush senior, who would face off against the Democrat Clinton in the 1992 presidential election. In 1988, Miers contributed $1,000 to the Democratic presidential primary campaign of then-Sen. Al Gore. At the time Vice President George H.W. Bush was in a Republican presidential primary fight with then-Sen. Dole and Kemp. She did not contribute to any of these Republicans…

Drudge is reporting that Bush’s new pick for the supreme court contributed to Clinton’s campaign to defeat Bush senior. What is Bush thinking?

I think David Frum’s comment “unforced error” sums this pick up. I am just stunned.

PREDICTION: Patrick Ruffini writes a post talking about how this is some genius political move by Bush and how great everything is, Rosy skies and clear sailing. Just a prediction.