When a President Is Not Spoiling for a Fight.

Analyzes U.S. President George W. Bush's nomination of Harriet E. Miers to the Supreme Court. Expectation of Bush's supporters on the right that he would make a conservative choice, even at the cost of a bitter confirmation battle; Why Bush avoided a direct confrontation with liberals; Bush's reluctance to invest his diminished supply of political capital in a battle over the court; Efforts of the White House to recover from its faltering response to Hurricane Katrina; Scandals in the Republican party; How the insurgency in Iraq continues to weigh on Bush's approval ratings; Views of political analysts; Anger of many conservatives over the decision; How the administration has been weakened and is struggling to avoid lame duck status; Bush's relationship with Miers; Miers' loyalty to Bush; Observation that, at times, Bush enjoys challenging conventional political wisdom.