Buchanan to Bush: Never complain, never explain, just do it, let them howl

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

With next pick, Bush must be conservative (Pat Buchanan)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5445086/

Some of us hoped Bush would name Scalia as Chief Justice on the grounds of brilliance and his proven philosophy of judicial restraint. But presidents get to make those calls and Bush believes his nomination of Roberts has already proven wise and politically astute.
However, even if -- as almost all believe -- Roberts is confirmed as Chief Justice, the strict constructionist bloc on the court will have, at most, three members: Roberts, Scalia and Thomas. And the President now faces an even more important choice than Roberts: whom to name to fill the seat being vacated by Sandra Day O'Connor. For without two more nominees of the same judicial philosophy as Roberts, there will never be a Roberts Court. Even with Roberts' confirmation, we are still two seats away from victory -- the O'Connor seat, and one more.

Mr. Bush is being admonished by editorialists (see Financial Times) to name a "centrist" to replace O'Connor in the wake of the trauma of Katrina. '"Bring us together!" the liberals are pleading. "Can't we all just get along?" These same individuals are even now preparing to use Katrina to break the Bush presidency.

But naming a centrist means betraying the President's commitment to remake the court into a constitionalist institution, selling out his most devoted followers, and dishing the Christian conservatives, so the court can remain the last bastion able to impose a repudiated liberalism, without the consent of the people.

For Bush to do this would be political folly and politically fatal. He would get a grudging nod from Ralph Neas or Shrummy, but would pay with the lost esteem of millions of his supporters. Bush should await the confirmation of Roberts before naming a successor to O'Connor, then name an Edith Jones or Michael Luttig. This is what he has pledged to do, and he needs a fight to rally his constituency. Will the liberal pundits, pols and special interests rail against him? Sure. But who cares? As the late Master of Balliol used to admonish his pupils who were to inherit the empire, "Never complain, never explain, just do it -- and let them howl!"

[terrya]

1. I'm leery of some of the stuff I see here about Buchanan...

being so wonderful. Because as soon as he says something that seems to make some sense, he then shows what a basically vile, right wing jackass he is.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. That last line was the killer...

"Let them howl?"

If Buchanan really believes that's the way Bush needs to operate, it tells you all you need to know about Buchanan.

[punpirate]

5. The context is interesting...

... "his pupils who were to inherit the empire...." That's the way Buchanan has always thought about the Presidency--that it's an imperial institution. Being one of Nixon's speechwriters, he necessarily had to think that way and was happy to comply. What Buchanan understands about democratic institutions and the Constitution could fit in a thimble with room to spare.

[etherealtruth]

6. Buchanan is NOT wonderful ...

Every now and again his stance on an issue may overlap with a progressive one.

Buchanan does not operate by hurling pejoratives (as do some pundits), he really despises the Chimp, he doesn't seem to be afraid of clearly stating HIS position (regardless of being labeled a racist, anti-semite ...)

These traits make it possible to have an actual political debate with him, despite most progressives finding most of his positions repugnant. In a sense I do like the fact that one can have a political discussion with the man, unlike people (and I use the term loosely) like that Coulter guy, Limpballs ... where any discussion quickly devolves into name calling and other insults.

[punpirate]

2. Despite all the talk about Buchanan...

... and his recent takes on Bush's other decisions, he's still an asshole. Always has been, always will be.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Kind of funny.

"Mr. Bush is being admonished by editorialists (see Financial Times) to name a "centrist" to replace O'Connor in the wake of the trauma of Katrina. '"Bring us together!" the liberals are pleading. "Can't we all just get along?" These same individuals are even now preparing to use Katrina to break the Bush presidency."

So, Pat is using his own bully pulpit to pressure Bush to elect two conservatives to the Supreme Court and wasn't it Buchanan who just a few days ago asked for Rove's resignation? He seems to know how to play both sides too.