The Two Knocks on Miers

(5 of 5)

For all the fury on the right, few Republicans on the Hill are predicting Miers will be rejected, even if a good number are hoping she will withdraw her name to stop the pounding of her President. But if she and the President stand their ground, some of her allies expect Miers to impress the Senators with her strength and savvy. "To stand one on one in the Oval Office, and for the President to turn to you and say, 'What do you recommend?' you have to be confident, prepared, articulate and smart," says Brett Kavanaugh, Miers' successor as White House staff secretary. "She's done it for five years now." Given the hostility directed toward her, Miers could now at least benefit, as her President so often has, from the advantage of low expectations. --Reported by Mike Allen, Massimo Calabresi, Matthew Cooper and Viveca Novak/ Washington, Hilary Hylton/ Austin and Sonja Steptoe/ Dallas