USA Today notes that since the White House hasn’t been able to convince its allies to support its Supreme Court nominee, it has had “to add a dimension to its portrait of Miers,” namely, her religion.

White House ally and chief counsel to the American Center for Law and Justice, Jay Sekulow (described as one of the “four horseman” who helped Bush select Miers), has been publicly holding up Miers’s faith as a reason she should be confirmed:

[The Miers nomination is] a big opportunity for those of us who have a conviction, that share an evangelical faith in Christianity, to see someone with our positions put on the court. — Jay Sekulow, 10/11/05

In so doing, Sekulow completely contradicted what he said exactly one month earlier about the Roberts nomination:

To make John Roberts’ faith an issue at the coming Senate confirmation hearings would not only be wrong, but a big mistake. — Jay Sekulow, 9/11/05

“is falling apart at the seams,” according to NBC’s chief political correspondent, Howard Fineman.

of what Karl Rove told him about Miers doesn’t check out.

At today’s White House briefing, Press Secretary Scott McClellan claimed someone’s religion has no impact on their performance as a judge:

[A] person’s religion or personal views have no role when it comes to making decisions as a judge.

But McClellan also said telling people about Miers’ religious views is critical for gaining support for her nomination. Here’s McClellan during the same press conference:

But she is a person of faith. She is someone who attends church on a regular basis…And that’s all part of reaching out to people to gain support for her nomination.

George Bush said the same thing earlier today:

People ask me why I picked Harriet Miers. They want to know Harriet Miers’ background; they want to know as much as they possibly can before they form opinions. And part of Harriet Miers’ life is her religion.

And right-wing religious leader James Dobson was briefed on Harriet Miers religion by Karl Rove:

What did Karl Rove say to me that I knew on Monday that I couldn’t reveal? Well, it’s what we all know now, that Harriet Miers is an Evangelical Christian, that she is from a very conservative church, which is almost universally pro-life.

The White House peddled Miers religious views as a way of responding to conservative criticism of her nomination. And it continues to do so.

“A newly released report published by the CIA rebukes the Bush administration for not paying enough attention to prewar intelligence that predicted the factional rivalries now threatening to split Iraq,” USA Today reports.

You know things are getting bad when Bill O’Reilly is predicting the downfall of the Bush administration:

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The WSJ reports that Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation has zeroed in on the White House Iraq Group (WHIG):

Mr. Fitzgerald’s pursuit now suggests he might be investigating not a narrow case on the leaking of the agent’s name, but perhaps a broader conspiracy…Lawyers familiar with the investigation believe that at least part of the outcome likely hangs on the inner workings of what has been dubbed the White House Iraq Group. Formed in August 2002, the group, which included Messrs. Rove and Libby, worked on setting strategy for selling the war in Iraq to the public in the months leading up to the March 2003 invasion. The group likely would have played a significant role in responding to Mr. Wilson’s claims.

It sounds plausible, especially considering how much we already know about the involvements of members of WHIG:

Chief of Staff to Vice President Cheney Scooter Libby: Visited the CIA to press them for information about uranium sales to Iraq. Helped prepare CIA director George Tenet’s response to criticism about faulty intelligence included in the President’s State of the Union address. Spoke with Time reporter Matt Cooper and New York Times reporter Judith Miller about Valerie Wilson’s role at the CIA. Testified before the grand jury. [Link]

National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley: Received an email from Rove about his conversation with Matt Cooper. Was warned by the CIA not the cite uranium evidence. Helped prepare CIA director George Tenet’s response to criticism about faulty intelligence included in the President’s State of the Union address. Believed to have been questioned by special prosecutor. [Link]

Chief of Staff Andrew Card: Received 12-hour head start on Justice Department investigation. Was on Air Force one with State Department memo describing Valerie Wilson’s role at CIA. Initiated conversation between Tenet and Bush about investigation. Believed to have been questioned by special prosecutor. [Link]

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Despite increasing evidence that a federal grand jury is zeroing in on him, Karl Rove is still living his life of luxury. New York Times’ White House reporter Elisabeth Bumiller said on a recent radio program that, in attempting to keep with President Bush’s call to limit non-essential travel and conserve gas, the White House is encouraging staffers to turn in their parking passes in return for free fare on the Washington Metro subway system. But guess who elected not to participate in the program:

CURWOOD: Now, you’ve been talking to some of the White House senior staffers about their habits, as I understand it, and I’m wondering what they’ve told you. What did Karl Rove, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, tell you when you asked him -

BUMILLER: Well, he didn’t actually respond. I asked him how he was conserving and he sent me an email back asking me how I was conserving.

Rove appears unwilling to give up his morning ride to work in his Jaguar.

Rove’s commuting habit is one of many mixed messages that the Bush administration is sending on conservation. NPR reports that at the same time the Department of Energy is asking Americans to conserve, “it’s also cutting funds for research on energy efficiency.” And Bush, for his part, doesn’t seem to be doing much to limit non-essential travel.