That seems to be the gist from the Talk Left campaign for Miers and from many other prominent "liberal" blogs. But when I look at today's LA Times article on her, I can't feel so optimistic.

Hecht is known as the most conservative member of the conservative Texas Supreme Court. "He's sort of the [Antonin] Scalia of that court: smart, aggressive and very conservative," said University of Texas law professor Douglas Laycock.

Hecht, a vocal opponent of the abortion right, said in an interview Tuesday that Miers shared his views. The two attend the evangelical Valley View Christian Church near Dallas.

"Harriet goes to a church that is pro-life. She has for 25 years," he said. "She gives them a lot of money. Her personal views lie in that direction."

But when asked if her personal opposition to abortion would give her sufficient cause to overturn the Supreme Court's abortion precedent, Hecht said, "I think she'll say they won't."

Very carefully stated, counsellor. It's not that this friend thinks she won't overturn Roe, it's that she'll say she won't overturn Roe. Big difference, that.

Miers' thin record has alarmed many conservative activists, who fear she won't be the unwavering voice on the right that they want on the high court. But Hecht's comments on abortion are among several pieces of evidence that have persuaded many other conservatives to support President Bush's Supreme Court nominee.

"I encourage people to connect the dots," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice. "Hecht is a pro-life conservative, so we take a lot of comfort from that."

Miers gave $150 to Texans United for Life in 1989 and was a sponsor of their annual dinner that honored Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-Ill.), a leading congressional opponent of abortion.

Lorlee Bartos, who was Miers' campaign manager in her race for the Dallas City Council in 1989, recalled that she was surprised to learn her candidate was opposed to abortion rights.

"I wanted her to meet with a group of pro-choice women, and she said she wasn't pro-choice," Bartos said. "She said she had been pro-choice but had changed her view."

Moreover, as Sekulow noted, Bush has vouched for her. "She shares the president's judicial philosophy," he said.

In his news conference Tuesday, Bush said he did not recall discussing abortion or Roe vs. Wade with his longtime lawyer.

But he added: "I made my position very clear in the course of my campaigns. I'm a pro-life president. And I know her. I know her heart. I know what she believes…. And she knows exactly the kind of judge I'm looking for."

There's one post in Talk Left's collective opining that I agree with: Harriet Miers is not inherently unqualified simply by her lack of judicial experience. I know of several people -- including someone in my family -- who know the law quite well, are brilliant to the point of genius (such as my dim wits can discern), can write and speak quite eloquently and convincingly about it, and yet have no judicial experience.

It's just the rest of the stuff about her that worries me.

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