Newly perceived: just how incompetent the Miers nomination was.

My son John Althouse Cohen emails (from the other side of the dining table):

The fact that Alito is so sure to be confirmed gives us a new reason to criticize Bush for nominating Harriet Miers. Back then, it looked as if Bush had chosen an underqualified nominee because she was a woman and had no record of taking positions on issues. But we now know that a white, male conservative with a long paper trail did not run into any serious obstacles. So not only did Bush choose an unqualified nominee for political reasons; those political reasons didn't even apply. We already knew that the Miers nomination was incompetent, but it looks even more incompetent now that the Alito hearings have gone so smoothly.

Indeed. We shall see how this new knowledge affects future appointments. Don't you think it will embolden this President and future Presidents?

(John is home from law school -- Cornell -- for winter break, and, don't worry, we do talk. But sometimes I say, "Email me that," for blog purposes.)