I think the Dems believe they'll win the presidency in '08.
With a minority in the Senate or a bare majority in the Senate, they would need the rules change about voting on judges in order to get their justice nominees approved.
But...the Constitution was written with the nomination process intended to go forward. It was not written with a bizarre Senate rule about unlimited debate in mind.
Republicans will not filibuster judges. Even after all of this. Republicans just don't operate that way.