"You do realize there is no Constitutional requirement that a nominee even be a lawyer. Bush picked someone whose character he knows. Bush Sr didn't know Souter and got blindsided.
Also, exactly why are all these so called conservatives opposing nomination of a devout Christian?"
Because most of this fatalism is being driven by trolls posing as "disgruntled freepers".
Aside from a donation she made 17 years ago exactly what is the basis for people to be so alarmed?
Well, I heard this morning that she's made statements in favor of homosexuals adopting children, and in favor of a World Criminal Court. No confirmation on that yet though.