4 OF BUSH'S MOST EXTREMIST JUDICIAL NOMINEES CUT AND RUN

I was driving home from Erewhon today, backseat filled with bananas, lemons, apples, kale, tomatoes... all the goodies that ring a raw foodist's bell, when I heard something that rang even more loudly-- and more sweetly. In light of the new situation in the U.S. Senate, 4 of the most radical extremist kooks ever nominated to a high judicial position-- loons and whackos almost as bad as Scalia and Thomas-- have thrown in the towel. William Haynes (a pro-torture fanatic), William G. Myers III (a hack Republican lobbyist thought to be one of the more corrupt nominees that Bush has spewed out) and Terrence Boyle (a vicious Jesse Helms aide) had all decided to abandon their quest for confirmation. Another nominee, Michael Wallace (a KKK nutcase who received a rare unanimous "not qualified" rating from the ABA), let it be known last month that he was over the whole thing and didn't want to be a judge anyway.

"Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has said only 'consensus nominees' are likely to win confirmation under the new Democratic majority-- a declaration that effectively doomed the chances for the four men whose appointments were left in limbo when the Senate adjourned last year for the elections. Deputy White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the president was disappointed about the withdrawals." Perino didn't mention whether or not Bush plans to give these 4 kooks Medals of Freedom like he normally does with people who he stabs in the back.

Bush claims he has 33 more loons and maniacs he's planning to force onto the federal judiciary but it's not likely that they will be as unqualified and extremist as the fanatics he's been nominating until now. Chuck Schumer, in a statement issued today, pointed out that "This reversal is one of the first tangible signs that the president heard and is heeding the message from Novembers election."

With far right ideologue and ex-Nixon and Reagan flack Fred Fielding replacing Harriet Miers as Bush's Chief Counsel, no one expects moderates to be nominated for anything but at least mainstream conservatives will likely replace outrageous fascists. Fielding is considered a contentious asshole and one of the nastiest, least cooperative and most disagreeable people in Washington. Even Bush thinks he's a nightmare but Cheney was behind this appointment.