Miers and "Pro-Life" as Political Slogan

This Newsweek writer states it plainly:

It's no accident that White House counsel Harriet Miers, the president's choice to succeed Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, has no judicial experience. That way, Bush can feign surprise when, to the chagrin of all the voters he won over on the abortion issue alone, social conservatives are ignored once again. Who knew?

In August 2004 during the GOP convention, I asked whether, in light of the pro-choice lineup of speakers, the pro-life commitment is "an identity-defining issue for the GOP hierarchy, or is it simply a mantra that ensures the continued party allegiance of abortion-focused evangelicals and Catholics?"  I don't claim to be unique in my cynicism: my mother-in-law, a cradle Catholic, has long resented the church hierarchy's encouragement to vote for the "pro-life" conservative candidate, even though, in her view, "nothing ever changes" on abortion when push comes to shove.  Doesn't this nomination provide conclusive evidence that her resentment is appropriate?

Rob

UPDATE: In response to Rick's question (above) about whether the hierarchy actually encourages Catholics to vote for "pro-life" conservative candidates, I should have noted in my initial post that my mother-in-law lived in St. Louis at the time of the 2004 election.  Under Bishop Burke, the "encouragement" was plain to see.