THUG LIFE

...a Federalist Society member tells ABC News the following:

"The Federalist Society staffers are ready to launch a coup. They have started whispering awful things about Miers. The staffers are just now reaching the point of wanting to talk on background."

"The whispering started on Monday, but has revved up. . . ."

"They are willing to talk."...

--The Note, ABC News

Several large GOP donors in Texas have met to discuss spending large sums to run ads calling on Ms. Miers to withdraw. "They include both male and female friends of hers who don't think the confirmation process will be good for her or the country," one told me.

--John Fund, The Wall Street Journal's Opinion Journal

Wow. What happened to the manly war hero in the flight suit? These days, Bush seems more like the owner of a mob-controlled pizzeria whose payments are late.

I wonder what those Texas Republicans are up to. Maybe they sense that the Federalistas, or others, are willing to scorch a bit of earth to kill this nomination -- possibly including earth some of the Texans are standing on.

If Miers withdraws, I want Democrats to frame the question for the general public (which, I think, still sees Bush as a macho man who does what he pleases): Who really runs this White House? Whose orders make Bush jump?

(Regarding a Miers withdrawal, one more mistake Bush made is nominating someone who's childless and thus can't suddenly develop a nanny problem.)