I’m not sure there is actually a large contingent of people who really think Miers is the bee’s knees as far as a SCOTUS pick. There are people who know her and think she’s a cool person and good lawyer and support her, partly out of personal loyalty. There are people who trust the president. There are people who are just resigned. But a lot of people recognize that this doesn’t seem to be a brilliant pick–and you can think she’s a good person and good lawyer and generally trust the president and still recognize that.
If she withdraws and the president nominates a Luttig type, the Dems will be so rabid and the Right will be so rallied, I don’t know that there’s any significant long-term damage on the Right.