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No I’m not being disingenuous but I’ll allow that you might see it that way. I really didn’t see your point. Now as I understand your point is that there wasn’t enough debate on the matter?

As I see it the bigger debate was on the committee thing. Do confirmations have long debates on SC nominees?

But LS, seriously, current events determine alot of this stuff. Had there been a serious hurricane or airplane crash while either the town halls or Sotomayor is going on THAT would have dominated the news.

For sure OBama’s busy trying to ram stuff through and it does overwhelm, I get this.

As for the 31 vote, I seriously thought maybe only 4 or 5 pubs would vote against Sotomayor. I kinda thought she would pass right through after the few ruffles from pubs in the committee. I know 40 is a bigger deal but as you must understand, I am surprised that 31 voted against her. I don’t think that many voted against Ginsberg.

I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t disagree with you as much as it might seem except I do think the town halls are making a real impact and I’m with you all the way that it’s emboldening the pubs. They don’t even get out of a tanning booth until they think it’s safe as a hospital nursery.

I do agree with you on this: current events can change everything. But you don't think that the possibility of a terrorist attack or the Chinese suddenly "cashing in" dollars would be more of a benefit to Obama than a disadvantage? I think he wants to use any and all crises as an excuse to centralize power.

Now, obviously he could botch anything. He's certainly made some huge mistakes so far, but they have been absorbed by his legislative majorities.

I guess I keep looking backward, always dangerous, to FDR. In his 100 days, he basically ensured his reelection forever. He had enough pork that he could get his guys elected, and even when they lost some in the off years, the Republicans couldn't come close to overturning the New Deal agenda. The times were different---in both good and bad ways. For example, the fact that FDR got that done in a time when a majority of Americans HATED welfare is astounding. How much easier for the Messiah today when a majority have their hand out?

On the judges, maybe my expectations were too high. I genuinely thought they might filibuster her, and put a couple of so-called "moderate" Dems on the spot. I guess I'm still waiting for any evidence that in crunch time, the Republicans can and will hold together on a key issue.