Bush knows himself and his enemy

“Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.”

“If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.”
SUN TZU
Chinese Military Strategist, Author of ''Art of War''

George Bush has read the book. His critics, Republican and Democrat alike, apparently have not. John Roberts has passed through the senate without a fight. Harriet Miers will pass through the senate without a fight. Many Conservatives wanted a rock rib, in your face type that guaranteed a knock down drag out with Libs. To many, the fight was a more important than the goal of seating Conservatives on the court. Sadly, history tells us, once seated, “rock ribbed, in your face” types are just as likely to go wobbly on the Supreme Court as the candidates the president has sent forward. So why have a knock down drag out over it?

There is nothing in the president's past cabinet and judicial picks to indicate that he does not know what he’s doing when it comes to picking people. Even the world-wide poster boy for “fall guy”, Michael Brown, is looking better everyday. But when your competence is being judged against buffoons like Nagin and Blanco, even Sheriff Buford T. Justice, the Jackie Gleason character of “Smokey and the Bandit” fame, would come off looking like a competent public servant. So, “Brownie” may not be the best example.

So Bush has avoided the fight. But why? For the answer, look at the second quote. Bush knows that when necessary or it serves their purpose, the Democrats will act as a monolithic block. Bush also knows that the Republicans will not. There are at least five “Republican” senate votes that cannot be counted on under any circumstance and Ohio twin dopes separated at birth, Crybaby Voinavich, Gang of 14 DeWine are not even among the five. So why bring on a knock down drag out fight when the commander knows that eight to ten of his generals might defect if the going gets rough? It’s always best to achieve goals without a fight but if fight you must, fight battles you will win. Bush knows the Republican senate has no stomach for a fight.

During his confirmation hearing John Roberts questioned the Supreme Court’s light docket. Roberts thought the court could and should hear more cases. John Paul Stevens is 85 years old. Given his age, Stevens may not like a heavier case load. At any rate, likely as not, Bush will have a third shot for a nominee. The best time for a knock down drag out with Democrats would be after the mid-term, as the president was leaving Washington. That scenario makes it important for Conservatives to work hard during the mid-term to off-set one or two of the wobbly Republican votes in the senate.