Bush tries to save his Miers project from implosion by ‘fessing up that his advisors had promoted the nominee to conservative groups by discussing her religious beliefs and background, but it may be too little frankness, too late. Last Friday, five days before Bush made his admission, even conservative Christian groups made it clear that they were wise to Bush’s plan: the Christian Defense Coalition — which used to spend its energies on prayer circles for Bush’s reelection — issued a press release denouncing the White House’s “patronizing,” opportunistic attitude towards evangelicals and “hypocritical” use of “faith as a political commodity” just weeks after declaring “religious litmus tests” off limits for the Roberts hearings.