Benefit of the Doubt

Most of the criticism towards Miers seems to flow into two categories:
1) We don't know if she'll be conservative on the bench
2) If she is conservative, Bush should have named a known conservative.

But there's something that hasn't really been mentioned. Bush knows Miers. Presumably, she hasn't been a candidate for the court in all of the years Bush was governor of Texas and the last few years in the White House. During those frank and candid conversations, Bush could very well have learned her actual views on issues. However, judges seeking promotion may have tailored their opinions, seem more conservative or liberal, to stand out from the crowd and get the coveted nomination.