“[Conservatives lobbied against shifting course because of Katrina.] The court is a long-term thing, ... It's crazy to mess up your long-term legacy to possibly help him with a short-term PR problem. I think Gonzales would be a disaster.”
“It is very hard to avoid the conclusion that President Bush flinched from a fight on constitutional philosophy, ... Her selection will unavoidably be judged as reflecting a combination of cronyism and capitulation on the part of the president.”
“Would any of his aides have the nerve to tell him that as Supreme Court jurists go, Gonzales would be mediocre - and not a solid bet to move the court in a constitutionalist direction? Would any of them have the nerve to explain to the president that a Gonzales nomination would utterly demoralize many of his supporters, who are sticking with him and his party, through troubles in Iraq and screw-ups with Hurricane Katrina, precisely because they want a few important things out of a Bush presidency - and one of these is a more conservative court?”
“The liberation of Iraq was the first great battle for the future of the Middle East. But the next great battle ? not, we hope a military one ? will be for Iran.”
“They really are acting out of patriotism. This is not fun for them. They're reluctant to step forward in this way and for good reason. ... They believe that Rumsfeld is endangering the course of U.S. foreign policy.”
