Miers' Golden Parachute

In today's Washington Post, syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer details one possible exit strategy for the withdrawal of Harriet Miers’ nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Krauthammer suggests that Senators should request all manner of documents regarding Ms. Miers’ tenure as White House Counsel; matters which the Chief Executive could not possibly surrender to the U.S. Senate, or anyone else. Continues Krauthammer:

Hence the perfectly honorable way to solve the conundrum: Miers withdraws out of respect for both the Senate and the executive's prerogatives, the Senate expresses appreciation for this gracious acknowledgment of its needs and responsibilities, and the White House accepts her decision with the deepest regret and with gratitude for Miers's putting preservation of executive prerogative above personal ambition. Faces saved. And we start again.

Well, since Mr. Krauthammer brought it up -- here is my view on the right golden parachute for Miers; and in my estimation, it would be far easier on President Bush. Here's the plan: Citing the questions about the depth of her experience in constitutional law, Ms. Miers should publicly request that her nomination be withdrawn and that the President consider her instead to the first available vacancy on a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal. She could stare determinedly into the television cameras at the press conference and declare that she has the "stuff" to the job, and would relish the opportunity to render proof of the same -- on a Circuit Court.

Faces saved; we start again; and I think that President Bush is better off than under the Krauthammer plan.