There is hope for both, then. From their personal experience, in at least two cases (Judge Alito and you), they now know that all conservatives are not knuckledragging monsters.
He's a really funny guy - probably one of the few who doesn't push the liberal agenda and has respect for opposing viewpoints. One afternoon we all weren't busy, and he asked what I would be up to this weekend. I answered that being a good conservative, I'd be out "kicking puppies, starving children and trying to deprive at least two minority groups of their civil rights." The mega-liberal standing next to him looked at me like I crawled out of a piece of cheese; he, on the other hand, laughed like hell.