Miers - Conservative Reactions

I am surprised by the broad, negative reaction among conservatives to the nomination of Harriet Meirs to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the more reactionary corners of the right wing, the responses range from confusion to outrage. However, even sober conservatives whom I respect are expressing profound disappointment not only in Bush's selection of Miers, but in Bush himself.

William Kristol:

"It is very hard to avoid the conclusion that President Bush flinched from a fight on constitutional philosophy. Miers is undoubtedly a decent and competent person. But her selection will unavoidably be judged as reflecting a combination of cronyism and capitulation on the part of the president,"

Kristol articulates a view shared by many conservatives that this was Bush's chance to make a bold, broad stroke and nominate a bona fide, fire breathing, red meat and raw potatoes conservative to fire up the base and solidify (or, perhaps, regain?) his reputation as MOST-CONSERVATIVE-PRESIDENT-EVER.

Andrew Sullivan:

I'm not sure yet whether she'd make a decent Justice. But, boy, does this pick remind us of who GWB is: about as arrogant a person as anyone who has ever held his office. Now the base knows how the rest of us have felt for close to five years.

What is so perplexing about the sheer passion and volume of the conservative reax to this nomination is the fact that we know almost nothing about Harriet Miers. Do these Repubs know something about Miers that the rest of us don't? Is there video of her performing an abortion while simultaneously receiving an abortion, smoking heroin, kissing a woman and raising taxes on the rich?