1. It did Lott a favor, which isn't a bad thing.
2. It also served as a test case to see how fair the Dems would be. Pickering had a good track record, and was somewhat marginal in terms of deserving a shot for the 5th Circuit on merit alone. But, with no serious flaws, he should have been confirmed. Instead, he got Borked. There's going to be payback for this, and this could cause serious problems for the Dems. The trial lawyers will dish out some payback, and that's going to be a problem for John Edwards. Bush also has a good pretext to make a few recess appointments, particularly in the Sixth Circuit, which is only at half-capacity.
The GOP is like a mouse that keeps running down the same path in a maze, over and over again, getting shocked ad infinitum. They are just tone-deaf politically. The Democrats will fight ferociously, using every weapon in their arsenal, dirty and clean, legal and illegal, to work their will on Bush's nominees. Why has it taken over a year for them to figure this out? Were they sleeping during the Ashcroft nomination?
Recess appointments are not a good thing, not a victory. Bush needs to start fighting for his judges.
We MUST not give up on this.... Keep the pressure on YOUR Senators to bring this vote to the FLOOR for a vote by the FULL senate !!!
DO NOT allow Sen. Leheay and his fellow LIBERALS on the Judiciary Committee to prevent this vote from going to the floor!!!
Advise and consent means 100 Senators not 10 !!!