Only one side got inside information on Miers

October 25, 2005

Roll Call reported today that James Dobson continues to be the subject of great interest to the Senate Judiciary Committee when it comes to what confidential information he was told about Harriet Miers. In fact, it’s not just Dobson, religious right sidekick Gary Bauer is also facing questions from Judiciary Committee investigators in advance of Miers’ confirmation hearings.

Specter’s chief counsel, Michael O’Neil, has sent Dobson a letter asking him to spell out exactly what he has been told by White House officials about Miers, according to Specter’s staff. The chairman has instructed O’Neil or other aides to follow up in conversations with Dobson to discuss the matter, which first came to light when Dobson told media interviewers that Bush adviser Karl Rove had given him private assurances that Miers would be a conservative judge.

And Bauer, head of Campaign for Working Families, alerted his supporters in an e-mail that he had been interviewed Monday by committee staff in relation to an Oct. 3 conference call Bauer participated in with Dobson and other high-level conservative activists.

This should hardly come as a surprise. Dobson and Bauer have practically bragged about the fact that they were made privy to “secret” information through private conversations with White House staffers and key Republican allies. Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) want to get the whole story on Miers, so naturally, they want to know at least as much as Dobson and Bauer know.

But the funny part is seeing Bauer feel sorry for himself and suggest this is a partisan fight.

“So, as of now, Dr. Dobson may be dragged up to the hearing with me and others. Meanwhile, no one on the Left, not the ACLU or the abortion-on-demand crowd or the homosexual rights groups, is being threatened by the committee,” Bauer wrote.

Poor Gary is confused. Has it not occurred to him that liberals weren’t given confidential briefings on the Miers nomination by the Bush White House and conservatives were? That the ACLU wasn’t given assurances by Karl Rove about how Miers would vote on key issues?

Always the victims. Chicken Little Republicans.

  • “…dragged up to the hearing

    Nothing like pitching in and doing your darndest for the country and fairness in the system.

    I’m wondering if Karl suspected these idiots would do exactly this, I’ve heard Miers wasn’t his first choice; it was Andy who convinced Bush to go ‘with his gut’.

  • These guys are so used to acting like victims of the left the stuff comes out as if by autopilot. But the “secret briefing” stuff is probably all moot anyway. I think the Kabuki dance between GOP senators “asking” for papers relating to Miers work in the WH and Bush refusing on principle in order to protect future presidents is an obvious strategy to withdraw the nomination without a complete loss of face.

  • Anyone think Dobson will refuse to answer Spector’s questions because he was given the secret briefing as part of the briefer’s desire for “spiritual counsel”?

  • You know, it’s a typical far right “poor little us” syndrome. I mean, in order for the right to keep gaining ground, they have to be victims right? I mean, all the time I hear them espousing the “Liberals attacks on Christianity” when Christianity has been and probably continue to be the MAIN religion in this country. Under attack my ass. I say put them all under oath and see what we can find out. None of this crap about “spiritual immunity” we should leave that for God to sort out……

  • I’m starting to think this Harry Reid guy is a genius. I admit, I had my doubts in the beginning when I heard he nudged Bush to nominate her. I wonder if he said “I dare you..” under his breath.

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