What did James Dobson mean when he famously said he knew things "that I probably shouldn't know" about Miers's judicial philosophy?

Dobson insisted Karl Rove never told him that Miers would overturn Roe. But did Rove supply Dobson with that information through a simple bank shot?

According to rightwinger John Fund, Dobson was on a conference call arranged by Karl Rove the day Miers' nomination was announced. The featured speakers were two judges who know Miers best: her living-in-sin lover, Justice Nathan Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court, and Judge Ed Kinkeade, a Dallas-based federal trial judge.

One of the people on the call took extensive notes, which I have obtained. According to the notes, two of Ms. Miers's close friends--both sitting judges--said during the call that she would vote to overturn Roe.

The call began with a

free-wheeling discussion about many topics, including same-sex marriage. Justice Hecht said he had never discussed that issue with Ms. Miers. Then an unidentified voice asked the two men, "Based on your personal knowledge of her, if she had the opportunity, do you believe she would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade?"

"Absolutely," said Judge Kinkeade.

"I agree with that," said Justice Hecht. "I concur."

Who is the "unidentified voice." Karl Rove, of course.

Dobson is claiming amnesia, telling Fund "he did not specifically recall" them.

But will he say that under oath and penalty of perjury?

Two weeks ago, when Dobson promised conservatives Miers was one of them, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) told Bob Schieffer he would haul Dobson before the Senate Judiciary Committee to tell them what he knew about Miers.

If there is something which bears upon a precondition as to how a nominee is going to vote, I think that's a matter that ought to be known by the Judiciary Committee and the American people. I want to know what all the facts are... I'm very fact-oriented, and if Dr. Dobson knows something that he shouldn’t know or something that I ought to know, I'm going to find out.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) promised the same:

That is no way to nominate a Supreme Court Justice. For that nominee to refuse to answer questions to the American public, and then have someone supporting her do all this whispering saying 'She's okay, here is what she believes,' is unfair. So as a result, I believe that we ought to call James Dobson as a witness at the Senate Judiciary hearing and find out what kind of assurances he has received. If those assurances are good enough for James Dobson, then all of America ought to hear them. … I believe my Democratic colleagues will go along and we will have James Dobson as a witness. Additionally, I think Karl Rove ought to let the public know what kind of assurances he gave James Dobson. This is not a game of wink and whisper. This is serious business.

Now they have a whole bunch more witnesses to grill: Hecht, Kinkeade, and the 14 other participants in the call:

The call was moderated by the Rev. Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association. Participating were 13 members of the executive committee of the Arlington Group, an umbrella alliance of 60 religious conservative groups, including Gary Bauer of American Values, Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation and the Rev. Bill Owens, a black minister.

#14, of course, is the "unidentified voice" - Karl Rove.

Witness #1 should be John Fund, whose notes should be subpoenaed and shared with the nation. (If that offends the First Amendment, we can make do with Fund's article.)

How damning is this conference call? It is utterly and completely damning.

First, the most prominent participants on the call are all lying about it. Dobson is claiming amnesia on the Roe v. Wade assurance; the notes and other witnesses prove otherwise. Hecht also claims amnesia; again, the notes and other witnesses prove otherwise. Kinkeade has simply clammed up.

Second, the other participants are peeing in their pants.

Some participants in the Oct. 3 conference call fear that they will be called to testify at Ms. Miers's hearings. "If the call is as you describe it, an effort will be made to subpoena everyone on it," a Judiciary Committee staffer told me. It is possible that a tape or notes of the call are already in the hands of committee staffers. "Some people were on speaker phones allowing other people to listen in, and others could have been on extensions," one participant told me.

Arlen & Chuck, this is your chance to expose the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy to turn women into slaves of the State. At long last, will you stand up for women? Or will you pathetically wimp out as you have done every time before?

We'll be watching very closely, Arlen & Chuck...