[Talking_Mouse]

Have we come far enough that this will be different than the Thomas hearings? There was no groundswell of support for Justice Thomas from the black community. Even without the Hill idiocy, the support that was "supposed" to be there was not. On what do you base your supposition that Judge Brown's confirmation attacks on a smart, successful, articulate, unashamedly conservative woman will be different than Justice Thomas' confirmation attacks on a smart, successful, articulate, unashamedly conservative man?

[steveyp]

My supposition is underpinned more by hope than reason. However, we are in a different place than we were over a decade ago. I think to some degree the black community is realizing they are a reliable pawn of the Democrats-- and a reliable pawn has little leverage.

In my home town of Charlotte, there is rumblings among the black community about this very fact. However the steps are incremental and not readily observable.

This would merely be another step. Again, if the Republicans can splinter the Democrat's assured 80-90% of the black vote...