Punditocracy

Did the power of pundits and their views sink Harriet Miers? Is this really a good thing? Maybe a true democracy with a free speech and vibrant media completes a perfect balance where even popularity won't insulate a leader from making a bad decision.

I had hoped that Karl Rove was up to a bait and switch. But, I must have guessed wrong. He must have let W run things for a couple weeks on his own.

• After Bush nominated his White House counsel at 8 a.m. on Sept. 29, Ingraham was criticizing Miers on the air at 9, and Kristol was doing the same on Fox News minutes later. At 10:17, Frum assailed the nomination on his National Review blog, an essay that drew extra attention because he had worked with Miers as a White House speechwriter.

Who's next? Come on throw your names up for consideraton. I'm going to recommend Texas Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson.

• The most commonly named 5th Circuit candidates include judges Edith Jones, Priscilla Owen and Emilio Garza -- all reliable conservatives. But a selection from the 5th Circuit could bring flak from the left, especially on issues that have conflicted with mainstream jurisprudence.