You are absolutely right. The constitution doesn't give any formula for the composition of the SC. I think Bush is again going to nominate a solid conservative and let the fight begin. They can say all they want about bad mouthing Brown and Owen but this senate confirmed them. They cannot now go back and say they are too far to the right and then filibuster either one.
Naiveté is so cute!!! Demoncrats can do whatever the MSM will let them get away with, which covers a lot of hypocrisy. They have already started to do this by saying (in previous interviews and speeches) that an appointment to the appeals court is one thing, but a lifetime appointment to the SC is another. I think Leahy announced for Roberts only because he can then say that whoever else gets nominated is an extremist - after all, he voted for the conservative Roberts, didn't he?
But isn't that exactly what they will do? After all, they have no respect for the constitution, do they?