[Supreme Court]

Bush's Political Games

Yesterday, President Bush committed a pretty grave crime--but one likely to be overlooked by Dems and ignored by Republicans. Having nominated his personal lawyer, a woman whose most relevant body of work (such as it is) was serving the President, Bush now says he won't release any of the documents related to her tenure in the White House:

"Recently, requests, however, have been made by Democrats and Republicans about paperwork out of this White House that would make it impossible for me and other presidents to be able to make sound decisions," Bush said. "In other words, they've asked for paperwork about the decision-making process -- what her recommendations were -- and that would breach very important confidentiality. And it's a red line I'm not willing to cross."

[Also see official documents]

This is going to be ignored or put off by Dems who are hoping never to have to consider Miers. And yet it is one of the most eggregious efforts to extend executive authority I can recall him making--and he's made some whoppers. He knows she doesn't have the resume to justify a nomination. He knows that her record is so thin, in fact, that the only worthwhile information about her at all is the work she's done while serving him. That's why he nominated her. If the Democrats don't create a huge stink about not receiving these documents, they may as well not bother voting no on her nomination--they will already have sold out the process. And they need to make the stink now--nevermind that Miers is out of the news or that Rove, Libby, and Cheney are in.

[Update: Taegan Goddard suggests that this may be Bush's way of laying the groundwork for pulling Miers, knowing that even GOP senators will balk if he doesn't give them something.]