It's become political because one side opposes the other side's judicial nominees solely for political purposes. If you don't think the Republicans have been as active as that as the Democrats have been then you're just kidding yourself.
“If you don’t think the Republicans have been as active as that as the Democrats have been then you’re just kidding yourself.”
Say what? Not only is your grammar bad, you don’t know what you are talking about. The Republicans gave Clinton and Obama whoever they wanted and barely opposed their SC choices four different times. The Dems meanwhile, defeated Bork, poisoned the well against Douglas Ginzburg and turned the Thomas hearings into a national spectacle. You make no sense at all with your blame both sides approach. That simply isn’t true. The GOP goes along with Democrat presidents when they recommend SC justices.
McConnell finally ended the lopsidedness after Democrats filibustered Bush’s appellate choices and then abolished the filibuster. McConnell said enough was enough and hoisted them by their own petard.