D-Day 11/30/05

President Bush is pushing Congress to confirm Harriest Miers by Thanksgiving. (I'm going to refrain from making any turkey jokes here...at least I'm going to try!) Why is that date for her confirmation significant? Because on November 30th, the Court will hear Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood, the abortion notification case from New Hampshire.

Assuming that Bush is right about Miers (which is a huge assumption based on the facts in evidence), being confirmed by Thanksgiving would give her the opportunity to vote on that case rather than having O'Connor hear it. If that indeed comes to pass, there will be an indication by next spring as to Miers' view on at least one critical issue. Opposition from conservatives to her nomination has been swift and strong. I would love to know whether that took Bush by surprise, or whether he knew it was coming and just didn't care. Some people have suggested that this pick was motivated by his anger at conservative opposition to his buddy Alberto Gonzales. (And if you think the opposition to Miers has been strong....) If the inside story comes out one of these days, I'd be at the head of the line to read it.

Anyhow, the outcome of the 2006 elections may well rest on that one vote by Harriet Miers. If she is confirmed and does not cast a pro-life vote in that case, I predict that the Democrats will regain control of at least the House, and perhaps the Senate as well. I hope the President knows what he is doing, and how much he is risking on a woman because he's "looked into her heart."