Billmon is kinda over the top about right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, calling her Ilse Koch, after the wife of the commandant of Buchenwald. (I mention this to make his article easier to understand if you follow the link.) But he reads that Coulter has reservations about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, and that gives him an idea:

Since the guy is probably going to be confirmed anyway, maybe the Dems should praise him instead of slamming him. Talk about his tolerance and his respect for diversity. Congratulate Bush for picking such a moderate, fair-minded jurist — one who has already testified that Roe v Wade is “settled law.” Tell the world they’re overjoyed the president selected a nominee who can reach across the partisan divide, instead of some extremist skin job with a radical religious agenda. Smother Roberts in some hot, juicy Demo love.

Say that kind of stuff often and loud enough, and it might plant some seeds of doubt in those tiny wing-nut minds: “If the filthy ’rats like him so much, he mus’ be some kinda librul.”

Who knows? If enough of the “base” starts talking like [Ann Coulter], it might even force Roberts and his GOP support team to drop the warm and cuddly spin, and demonstrate just how much of a hardliner the guy really is — thereby stripping some of the radar cloaking off the Stealth nominee. But frantic efforts to polish up Roberts’s ultaright credentials might further feed wing nut paranoia about the guy: “If he’s one of us, how come they gotta keep defendin’ him alla time? And why don’ his forehead slope down like ourn?”

Animated political thriller from Mark Fiore: Double Super-Secret Background.

You will believe a man can lie.

Media Matters lists top Supreme Court myths, falsehoods and distortions, and debunks each of them. The following is only a listing. Go to the site to see how to challenge each of these claims:

Since Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced her retirement from the Supreme Court on July 1, conservatives have formulated or resurrected numerous false and misleading claims about the high court, which some in the media have all too willingly repeated without challenge. With President Bush’s anticipated nomination announcement later today, some of these claims are sure to resurface, and Media Matters for America will be on the lookout for new “Supreme distortions” that will undoubtedly emerge.

1. Robert Bork was “smeared” when he was nominated for the Supreme Court…
2. Democrats will oppose any nominee President Bush picks…
3. In questioning nominees, Democrats will treat them with disrespect and hostility…
4. Roe v. Wade is not threatened by O’Connor’s retirement…
5. Democrats should follow “Ginsburg precedent” by accepting a Bush nominee despite significant ideological differences…
6. Democrats are divided on whether ideology constitutes an “extraordinary circumstance” under Senate agreement on filibusters…
7. Bush favors conservatives who will strictly interpret the law over judicial activists who legislate from the bench…