She Speaks for Diversity

". . There are only so many supremely powerful jobs to give to women who are not qualifed to get them. . . First he elevated Condi Rice to secretary of state, even though she had bungled her job as national security adviser, failing to bring a sense of urgency to warnings about terrorism aimed at America before 9/11, and acting more as an enabler than honest broker in the push to invade Iraq. . . Then he elevated his longtime aide, speechwriter, memoir ghostwriter and cheerleader Karen Hughes to under secretary of state for public diplomacy, although it is exceedingly hard for the 6-foot Texan to try and spin a billion Muslims whom she doesn't understand the first thing about. . . But who cares about her lack of expertise in such a critical job . . ? And now he has nominated his White House counsel and former personal lawyer, Harriet Miers to a crucial swing spot on the Supreme Court. . . [W]ho cares whether she has no judicial experience, and that no one knows what she believes or how she would rule from a bench she's never been behind . . ?"

Maureen Dowd from "All the President's Women", The New York Times editorial section, October 5, 2005.