Bush positioning for a fight

The new White House counsel, Fred Fielding (in photo), is steeped in such work, having also served as President Reagan’s top lawyer and John Dean’s deputy in the Nixon White House. Observers say this choice to replace Harriet Miers is strategically defensive, because the Democratic Congress has promised to subpoena White House documents and Fielding knows well how to resist such congressional probing. But by choosing another in a long line of old GOP soldiers, George Bush again looks less like the first president of the 21st century than the last of the 20th.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

11 Comments

  1. TRACY
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 12:30 pm | Permalink

    Ya’ know what makes me sick?Harriet was soooo qualified for SCOTUS (according to preznut),but isn’t good enough to defend his constitution trashing, law breaking behavior?He just wanted a proxy on SCOTUS!

    That’s what makes me sick.

  2. JM
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 12:40 pm | Permalink

    That’s just part of who makes a good Judge and who doesn’t. There are spectacular trial lawyers that would make lousy Judges because of their flamboyance and freestyling.

    And there are Judges who would make lousy attorneys because of their lack of flamboyance, but they love the book work and study of the law.

    It takes all kinds to make a Judge though.

    I would rather have a Judge elected who was leaning liberally but really knew the law and has a proven record than someone who was more conservative and struggles with concepts of the law with an unproven record.

  3. WSClark
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 1:05 pm | Permalink

    Harriet Mier – Associate Supreme Court Justice.

    Now that’s funny!

  4. hmmm ...
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 1:49 pm | Permalink

    So much for wanting biaprtisan cooperation.

  5. cs
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 4:22 pm | Permalink

    Do I hear the ghosts of Watergate moaning in the background?

  6. CapnAmerica
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 4:30 pm | Permalink

    The same lawyer that oversaw Reagan’s meltdown and Nixon’s resignation . . . heh, good choice, Georgie boy.

    Was he the only one who would take the job?

  7. WSClark
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 4:34 pm | Permalink

    “Was he the only one who would take the job?”

    All the rest wanted copious quantities of drugs before they would accept the job, Capn’.

  8. hmmm ...
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 5:00 pm | Permalink

    Is there an ‘elder statesman’ Republican (like Ford was) who could be appointed to replace Cheney (if Cheney resigned). Then succeed Bush with his resignation.

    Quite honestly, that is what America needs right now.

  9. cs
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 9:00 pm | Permalink

    Let’s not get rid of Bush until Cheney is gone, that’s for sure. Cheney has been the master with the puppet for the last 6 years – or didn’t you know that?

  10. lucee
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 9:02 pm | Permalink

    Actually, if we got rid of Bush and Cheney, then Nancy Pelosi would become president. History repeating itself?

  11. hmmm ...
    Posted January 10, 2007 at 11:12 pm | Permalink

    no – I don’t think that has ever happened. Ford was not speaker.