"So from now on, all future SCOTUS nominees must be stealth nominees?"
That indeed seems to be the position of Miss Marple and countless other so-called Republicans who prefer to avoid a confrontation with Dingy Harry and his minions at all costs. This is a strategy guaranteed to provide Republicans with only the lowest common denominator candidates for judicial office--ones that are quite satisfactory to the Dems and the RINOs as well. I guess Roberts passed that test, and Miers may as well.
Please read my posts again. I believe I have identified 10 Republicans who could not be counted on to support a published, in-your-face conservative.
Noble efforts are not much use in politics. Why would you want a nominee to go through all of the misery of the hearings and then be shot down in the Senate? The end result would be a blow to the conservative movement, a weakened presidency, and the possible losses of one or both houses of Congress.
Whenever you think you can count on Republican Senators for their votes, remember Crying George Voinovich, who just couldn't bring himself to vote for John Bolton.
This will mean that future court nominees will only have executive branch experience. Dems will nominate stealth libs and Pubbies will pick stealth conservatives. They will be inclined to kowtow to their bosses and will further politicize the bench. This is a recipe for real tyranny.