Harriet Miers must be honored by President Bush's nomination to Associate Justice. The nomination conveys Bush's trust, as well as Miers competence and loyal service, even though Miers donated $1,000 to Al Gore's 1988 presidential campaign, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Lawyers do this to cover all bases, however.

As president of Texas's State Bar, Harriet Miers also urged the American Bar Association 1n 1993 to place abortion on a referendum to the group's full membership, arguing that the ABA should remain neutral on abortion. This will cause Democrats to oppose the nomination with full force -perhaps the filibuster (use of extreme delaying tactics to prevent action especially in a legislative assembly). If it comes to a filibuster:

+ Republicans garner time to express the conservative position
+ The nuclear option could be invoked

Miers is 60, a bit older than the ideal age of other candidates (54-55). She will be a lightning rod for Bush, a satisfactory token for the religious right, and a win for Republicans, whether she makes it to SUPCO or not.

The best aspect of Miers is the paradigm busting nature of her nomination: she has never been a judge. That paves the way for the next step: someone who has never been a lawyer!
The Constitution doesn't require that Supreme Court justices be attorneys, yet no President has ever nominated a non-lawyer.

Miers nomination was craftily excellent and will be the greatest political fun.