[Carry_Okie]

I guess I'm with theory number 4: IOW theory 3 is correct except that it is a setup, so that they can jam a liberal down our throats anyway, claiming that it's our fault the conservative nomination failed because we don't have 60 conservative votes in the Senate. According to that theory, that's why we got a white male Alito instead of a black female JRB.

We don't want to put those poor McLame RINOs and Democrat "moderates" in a really hard spot, now do we?

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

"You know you are in conservative circles when it is interesting but divisive.”

Two words: Free Republic.

[Cicero]

If Alito fails and Bush nominates a liberal or a "compromise" candidate, his base will never go along with it. His Republican predecessors have played that game a few times too often. If Alito fails, let him nominate Brown. If he nominates another Souter, he will destroy the party.

But I have every hope that the President understands the feelings of his base and that Alito will succeed.

The Country Club Republicans have the money, but the conservative base has the votes. Unless the country clubbers are willing to give in on this issue, they are not going to have the power to do the other things they want. Is abortion the bottom line for them, or are they willing to give in on that issue in return for other things that they value more? I hope they will begin to hear the music.

Moreover, President Bush's campaigns have been supported by a lot of small donors, far more than the Democrat candidates who are supposed to represent the party of the people. The Republicans need those small donors and those loyal campaign workers, as well as all those millions of conservative votes.