Interesting that they praise her now. After Bush v. Gore, she was dismissed by the libs as a GOP partisan hack.
They only praise O'Connor now as a political tactic to make themselves appear non-partisan and in the political mainstream. I'm sure that in the Dem cloakroom they still call her a partisan GOP hack. It benefits them politically to praise a retiring justice, so all their insincere words of praise will go to O'Connor while all their vicious attacks will be directed towards Bush's nominee to replace her. Generally speaking, the Democratic leadership is a pack of liars and I think most of what they're saying about O'Connor is insincere.
They only praise O'Conner now because they know good and well they are going to get someone like...Janice Rogers Brown