[DallasJ7]

Good to see a conservative judge get through, but who is Smith replacing? I'm betting it was a conservative or a moderate. Somehow I kinda doubt the Dems would allow this nomination to go through so easily if the judge Smith is replacing was a liberal. I could be wrong of course.

[Princip. Conservative]

I'm pretty sure this was a replacement to a Reagan appointee who took senior status, which admittedly waters the victory down a bit. But I'd rather be able to rejuvenate the conservative wing on the court than see a liberal Democrat stack the court with lefties.

I guess it just depends how you look at it.

[Robert A Cook PE]

So, I'm curious as to why the democrats went along on this one.

Last time they "agreed" with any WH decision regarding judges and justices, it was to use Fitzgerald as the assassin SS officer (er assistant special investigator) to kill Cheney and Libby.

[California Patriot]

You're probably right to be suspicious. Either the prior judge was about equally (or more) conservative, or else the GOP agreed to pay a high price of some kind for this confirmation. Maybe both.