I've been puzzling over exactly what it is in Harriet Miers' e-mails that gives me the heebie-jeebies. The answer, close as I can come, is that they're not just sycophantic, but childish. It's one thing to advance your buddy, it's another thing to promote the Court Jester. I'm not gonna jump on her for liberal use of the word cool, but "Hopefully Jenna and Barbara recognize that their parents are 'cool' - as do the rest of us" is a bit bizarre. And then, after a visit to her office, she says, thanks "for taking the time to visit in the office and on the plane back - cool!" This stuff sounds like it came from the archives of the Make A Wish foundation. At least John Roberts' writings, prickish though they were, had a superior, cerebral edge to them. Miers' e-mails just lack dignity.
