Harriet Miers withdraws

We knew it was inevitable and it's happened during a week when things were not going the administration's way on any other front.
Miers Withdraws Nomination

WASHINGTON -- Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination to be a Supreme Court justice Thursday in the face of stiff opposition and mounting criticism about her qualifications.

Bush said he reluctantly accepted her decision to withdraw, after weeks of insisting that he did not want her to step down. He blamed her withdrawal on calls in the Senate for the release of internal White House documents that the administration has insisted were protected by executive privilege.

Bush took the out the Republicans had given him.

"It is clear that senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House -- disclosures that would undermine a president's ability to receive candid counsel," Bush said. "Harriet Miers' decision demonstrates her deep respect for this essential aspect of the constitutional separation of powers -- and confirms my deep respect and admiration for her."

This is really big. So much for "the President's nominees deserve an up-down vote". The Republicans have used all of the tools they have been critical of the Democrats for using to stop Harriet Miers. The nuclear option is no longer an option. The Miers debacle combined with the weakened position of the White House and Mullah Frist means the Democrats can stop just about anybody. Junior really blew this one.

Update
Jazz and I crossed paths in cyber space. For a slightly different take see Jazz's post below.

Update II
Steve Soto weighs in.

Perhaps Bush can now do what he should have done in the first place before he cared more about cronyism than competence: nominate someone like Edith Clement. My guess is that Bush will pick someone to please and re-energize the base, such as Michael Luttig, Janice Rogers Brown, or even Priscilla Owen, and Democrats will have to fight those picks against a weakened and stupid-looking Bush. But this looks like the last act by Rove before he gets tagged, telling Bush to rectify a mistake and doing something smart politically that he should have done in the first place, instead of something stupid as recommended by the hapless Andy Card.

Addendum
It has been said by many that we will now get someone worse. It has been my opinion all along that it would be hard to get someone worse. Since Meirs has little if any knowledge of constitutional law she has no judicial philosophy, only ideology. She is above all else a kool aid drinking Bush cultist and radical wingnut Christian.