I’d like to think an evangelical Christian as worthy of the bench as a Jew, Muslim or Atheist
(knowing that an Atheist would never be nominated). Unfortunately, right now, the loudest, most noticeable evangelicals strike me as
dangerous, looney zealots who would despise me — or convert me — but never tolerate me. So, at the moment, nominating an evangelical
seems like nominating a zombie. I’m truly sorry to say that.
Nevertheless, I believe in diversity and recognize there are a lot
of views in America I don’t agree with but must tolerate, even views of people who in turn would condemn me. (This is why conservatives
beat liberals.)
What Bush’s vaunted Base* is about to learn is just how bull-headed and doggedly
loyal he is to those he knows personally. They will not move him in the least. Only someone closer to him than Miers can do that, if
anyone can. mjh
*Strangely,the translation of al Qaeda is “the base”.
HoustonChronicle.com – Dionne: Conservatives use religion when
it suits their aims By E.J. DIONNE
The use of Miers’ religion as a magnet for conservative support is not just the work of a
few religious voices. It’s part of the administration’s strategy. …
Let’s be clear: It is pro-administration conservatives,
not those terrible liberals, who are making an issue of Miers’ evangelical faith.
Liberals are not opposing Miers because she is
an evangelical. Conservatives are telling their friends to support Miers because she is an evangelical. …
And Ed Morrissey,
whose “Captain’s Quarters” is one of the most popular conservative blogs, said publicly what other concerned conservatives have said
privately. “The push by more enthusiastic Miers supporters to consider her religious outlook smacks of a bit of hypocrisy,” Morrissey
wrote.
“After all, we argued the exact opposite when it came to John Roberts and William Pryor when they appeared before the
Senate Judiciary Committee. … Conservatives claimed that using religion as a reason for rejection violated the Constitution and any
notion of religious freedom. Does that really change if we base our support on the same grounds?”