USA: Reaction to White House counsel Harriet Miers withdrawal as U.S. Supreme Court nominee

Record ID: 677330

  • Title: USA: Reaction to White House counsel Harriet Miers withdrawal as U.S. Supreme Court nominee
  • Date: 28th October 2005
  • Summary: (AM) WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 27, 2005) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROGER PILON OF THE CATO INSTITUTE SAYING: "He's in a substantial amount of trouble. The war was ill thought out, if I may say so, just as this nomination was ill thought out. His poll numbers are slipping. And where they are slipping from is the base. That's what this Miers nomination actually amounted to, it was a signal to the base that he's not really one of us."
  • Embargoed: 12th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Legal System,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABWFHF9OZKI3MU8MCS5VOGI35G
  • Story Text: President George W. Bush's embattled nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, White House counsel Harriet Miers, announced on Thursday (October 27) she was withdrawing her name from consideration. In a letter to Bush released by the White House, Miers said she was concerned that the Senate confirmation process "presents a burden for the White House and our staff that is not in the best interest of the country." Miers had come under criticism from Democrats and conservative Republicans alike and many conservatives had demanded she withdraw her nomination because she lacked judicial experience. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid blamed Miers' withdrawal on conservatives. "Apparently Miss Miers didn't satisfy those who want to pack the Supreme Court with rigid ideologies. The only voices heard in this process were the far right. She wasn't even given a chance to speak for herself before the Senate Judiciary Committee," said Reid. Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, a Republican, said he was disappointed with the way Harriet Miers has been treated since being nominated by President Bush in early October. "I think that this is a sad episode in the history of Washington DC which has a lot of sad episodes. The way Harriet Miers has been treated has been really disgraceful," said Specter. Mier's withdrawal comes in the midst of drooping poll numbers for Bush as he battles negative perceptions on Iraq and speculation that his chief adviser, Karl Rove, could be indicted. Roger Pilon of the CATO Institute says some of Bush's greatest support problems are coming from within his own party. "He's in a substantial amount of trouble. The war was ill thought it, if I may say so, just as this nomination was ill thought out. His poll numbers are slipping. And where they are slipping from is the base. That's what this Miers nomination actually amounted to, it was a signal to the base that he's not really one of us," said Pilon. As a reason for pulling out, Miers cited the need to maintain privacy of internal records of her White House service that members of Congress wanted to see but Bush wanted to keep confidential.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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