I disagree. If Rehnquist would have been the first resignation, then you're right. You've got to advance the ball, and getting anyone less conservative than Rehnquist would have been a loss.
O'Connor was tougher because you were replacing a moderate, which meant that heels were going to be dug in a lot more because the left wouldn't want to disrupt the "balance" of the court. And while you may say that we should welcome a fight, I don't. Not if we're going to lose. We lost on Bork, then Ginsburg, and the result was Kennedy. I only want a fight if I think I'm going to win. Because otherwise, its about ego and not results. If an Edith Jones nomination gets filibustered successfully, how does that help us?
Roberts is significantly more conservative than O'Connor. Getting him in is a win because a swing vote has become a conservative vote. If he's not Thomas (and he may be), he's miles from O'Connor.
True, but I feel the Democrats were vulnerable with the first choice, not wanting to be seen as obstructionist right from the onset.
When Roberts is approved in a breeze, subsequently they will have a license to fillibuster with impunity for having already "compromised" and "cooperated."
"O'Connor was tougher because you were replacing a moderate, which meant that heels were going to be dug in a lot more because the left wouldn't want to disrupt the "balance" of the court. And while you may say that we should welcome a fight, I don't. Not if we're going to lose."
Why so quick to surrender?
You have the collective mentality of the GOP -- losing a fight before it's even begun -- even though the Republicans have FINALLY attain a majority in both Houses. Let's flex that d@mn muscle!
This isn't about a slight upgrade to mirror O'Connor's role as a Pubbie SC moderate (a false premise and expectation to begin with.) This is about ramming through conservative ideologogues and strict constitutionists BECAUSE WE CAN AND NEED TO.
"Roberts is significantly more conservative than O'Connor. Getting him in is a win because a swing vote has become a conservative vote. If he's not Thomas (and he may be), he's miles from O'Connor."
We hope Roberts is a significant upgrade.