Wednesday, October 12, 2005

The Politics of Laura

David Frum makes a very important point, beyond the "sexism" charge:
In the first week of the battle, the White House sent out James Dobson to woo evangelical conservatives. That didn't work out too well. So now the White House has switched strategies. It has turned its back on conservative evangelicals and is instead using Laura Bush to woo suburban moderates. But remember: Laura Bush is on record as a supporter - not just of abortion rights - but of the Roe v. Wade decision. Interviewed on the Today program in January 2001, Mrs. Bush was asked point blank about the case. Her answer: "No, I don't think it should be overturned." Is it credible that Mrs. Bush would be endorsing Harriet Miers if the first lady thought that Miers would really do what James Dobson thinks she'll do?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Is it credible that Mrs. Bush would be endorsing Harriet Miers if the first lady thought that Miers would really do what James Dobson thinks she'll do?

Depends: Does Laura care more about the constitutional status of reproductive rights than she cares about her husband? Assuming she’s not a complete harpy, her concern for her husband’s success probably trumps her concerns about the future of Roe v. Wade, and she would in fact endorse Harriet Miers even if she thought Miers would do what Dobson thinks she’ll do.