Beautifully stated! You're right --- they really think the hearings are about themselves. Advise and consent exaggerated into a partian spectacle.
Elections have consquences. Clinton got Breyer and Ginsberg.
Now it Bush's turn.
Indeed.
They believe this is free campaign time.
Truth is that there is a rare moment of agreement between most Americans on the Senate and it's roll card of persons. We despise them, with one or two exceptions on each side. We actually have unity here among conservatives, Liberals and the rest! We don't like the Senate. LOL
So they think they are getting free time to preen before their constituents. Uh-uh. We're getting free time to expose how most of these people are mental lightweights. Americans can discern the real thing when given the comparison. I thank the Senators for providing the comparison.