Supreme Court Pick Shifts Attention
From Rove, Agent Disclosure

From Bloomberg courtesy of the Daily Kos:

Bush accelerated his search for a Supreme Court nominee in part because of special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation into the leak of a CIA agent's name, according to Republicans familiar with administration strategy.

Bush originally had planned to announce a replacement for retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on July 26 or 27, just before his planned July 28 departure for a month-long vacation at his Crawford, Texas, ranch, said two administration officials, who spoke on the condition they not be named.

The officials said those plans changed because Rove has become a focus of Fitzgerald's interest and of news accounts about the matter.

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Just as Kos speculated a couple of days ago: Bush picked Roberts early in order to take the media heat off Rove. Hell, for all we know, it was Rove's idea in the first place. Nice chess move. I guess. The one thing this makes evident is something that Paul Krugman has been saying about the Bush administration for years. Everything is political for them. The White House makes not a single move without a full awareness and manipulation of its political ramifications. Contemplative consideration of the candidates for one of the most powerful offices in the land? Hell no! We've got a political firestorm out there; get somebody's name out, now! I admire Bush in the same way I admire ... say ... Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, Lee Kuan, Krotus ... you know, all those brilliant evil guys.

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