Stating the Obvious

File this in the "no shit" folder:

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.

Well, of course. The only move more calculating would have been for Bush to nominate Osama bin Laden and simultaneously raise the terror threat alert level to red. "He's infilitrating our courts!"

There's no reason why cable news can't pay attention to two things at once... oh, wait, there is, they're a pack of dunderheads. Well, then there's no reason why progressives can't do what they can to keep both issues in play. The Senate's out for a month, so the Roberts fight will necessarily take a long time. Meanwhile, new revelations on Treasongate are happening seemingly every day. No reason that won't continue. And the moment Fitzgerald actually makes a move, it'll be splashed all over the front page.

As for Roberts, I think it's time to take the word "stealth" off of his bio (as in "stealth conservative"). This was the political operative in the White House solicitor's office under Ken Starr in the 80s. He was a key behind-the-scenes player in the Florida recount fight in 2000. He's a hard-core ideological conservative, and hiding behind a "I was just doing the work of my clients" line is completely absurd. Even Ann Coulter gets this.

I don't know if Democrats have the stomach to spoil for a fight on this one. You'd have to knock down and drag out and leave no holds barred, which just doesn't seem to be where the Dems are at right now. If it comes down to winning elections, the best thing Democrats could do, after performing their required Constitutional role to forcefully question the nominee, is to show exactly what Roberts' accession will mean for ordinary Americans, and run on that in 2006. Sometimes losing now can be better for winning later if you leverage it right. A fact sadly lost on many leaders in my Party.

p.s. Billmon has some required reading on the subject.