Is our President a liar, or stupid, or are we?

I refer to this Supreme Court nonsense. This seems to be what he wants us to think goes on...

" I have to do a lot of stuff! The war, signing or vetoing bills, eating odd food at state dinners. Hmm, what else do I do, there's living in this big house, those secret service people ..."

"Mr. President, Justice O'Connor just retired."

"Oh, yeah, APPOINTING SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. I forgot all about that one! I need to get busy, does anyone know a good judge? "

A few weeks pass...

"Mr. President, Chief Justice Rhenquist just died."

"Whoa! I have to do it AGAIN, who could have seen that coming? I need to start assembling possibilities. Wish I hadn't thrown away the list from last month. Guess we'll have to start over again from scratch. Because I'm SURE the prospects have really changed in THREE WEEKS."

What nonsense. Every president knows EXACTLY whom he intends to appoint to the first, second, and probably fifteenth Supreme Court vacancy. Presidents DREAM about making those appointments like assembly line workers dream of winning the lottery.

You, dear random reader, probably know whom you'd pick for the Supreme Court, too, or for the Academy Award for best picture. You DEFINITELY know whom you'd take away for a naughty week end given your choice. You KNOW you won't get to make those selections, but you still have a plan. So does everyone else with half a brain, it's essential human behaviour.

This "short list" and "consultation" stuff is insulting. I wouldn't WANT a President who didn't know whom he'd appoint. And, not to belabour the point, even if that is the process, THEY JUST DID IT. Judge Roberts was first on the list, there was a number two, you know who it was, just say the name. Forsooth...