White House Defends Harriet Miers Amid Mounting Opposition

The White House on Thursday vowed to support Harriet E. Miers' Supreme Court nomination, despite increasing opposition from conservative commentators and Republicans. Press Secretary Scott McClellan dismissed concerns that Miers, President Bush's preferred candidate, would withdraw from consideration. He emphasized her exceptional qualifications and the negative reaction from critics, saying "no one that knows her would make such a suggestion." The nomination has been criticized for lack of transparency and Miers' unclear conservative credentials.

Key Takeaways:

• The White House has denied suggestions that Harriet E. Miers would withdraw her nomination for the Supreme Court seat.
• Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, dismissed questions about Miers' qualifications and her stance on conservative issues.
• Miers has been criticized for her unclear conservative credentials and lack of transparency in her nomination process.
• Peggy Noonan, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and George Bush, suggested that Miers should withdraw her name to alleviate President Bush's political woes.
• The White House scrambled to address concerns about Miers' testimony in a 1989 voting rights lawsuit and her ties to the Federalist Society.

Statistics:

• 1989: The year a voting rights lawsuit took place in which Harriet E. Miers testified.
• 1 organization: The Federalist Society, a conservative lawyers group that Miers has been linked to despite her testimony suggesting otherwise.

Sources:

• The New York Times (Caption and photo credit: Stephen Crowley)
• The White House (Scott McClellan's statement and press briefing)
• The Wall Street Journal (Peggy Noonan's online column)