Rove To Dobson: Some Candidates Took Themselves Out Of The Running

The Washington Times is reporting that James Dobson, of Focus on the Family, is revealing the "sooper sekret" things that Karl Rove told him about Harriet Miers. Here's the most significant:

"Well, what Karl told me is that some of those individuals took themselves off that list," he said, according to a transcript obtained last night. "They would not allow their names to be considered because the process has become so vicious and so vitriolic and so bitter that they didn't want to subject themselves or the members of their families to it."

It probably didn't help that they had good reason to believe that the seven GOP members of the "Gang of 14" in the Senate wouldn't have stood up for them.

Nice. If this is true then it sheds a little bit of light on this situation.

Update: 10:00am
AJStrata noticed this same juicy bit and weighes in.

Folks, if this is true there are going to be some really red faces on the Hill, at NRO and at Redstate. If they went out on a political lynching because their heros decided not to get pummeled - instead pummeling George and Laura plus Harriet - then those of us who were being cautious will be completely vindicated. I had heard or read somewhere the Janice Rogers Brown, my preferred nominee, had declined since she had just been through the brutal confirmation process and had no interest to drag her family through it again. I doubt she is looking kindly on the anti-Miers crowd right now.

I've seen many of the Big names in the 'sphere look at this Washington Times story and all they seem to be focusing on from Dobson's comments is that Rove told him Bush was looking for a female replacement for O'Connor. They are strangely silent on this other point (about judges opting out of consideration). Although it shouldn't come as any real surprise since many of them would look foolish if this turns out to be the case.

Update II: 1:15pm
It is true, White House confirms.

"the White House acknowledged that some of the people the president considered for the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor didn't want to go through the grueling confirmation process, and asked that their names be withdrawn."

Posted by: Gary at 09:27 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 400 words, total size 3 kb.