Possible, but Luttig was a sure thing conservative with a paper trail to prove it. Given we have 55 votes in the Senate, and Ruth B. G. got 90+ votes, having to go stealth and play the "trust me" game just stinks.
Luttig is a name surely vetted with the gang of 14. Lots of the RINOs in that 7 are up for re-election and they can't support Luttig and hold their seat for the GOP. Bush has no doubt been told this.
Remember, ALWAYS, the most important vote a Senator makes each session is for Majority Leader. The Majority Leader defines the agenda. If RINOs keep the Majority Leader GOP, then the Senate focuses on national security and matters that are less liberal than it would with a Dem Majority Leader. If Daschle were running the Senate, it would be non stop hearings into Plamegate and Yellowcake.
This nominee has been judged to be the rightward most candidate who is confirmable. That's pretty much the bottom line. In a different world maybe Luttig would be confirmable. But that's not this world. The world is not what we'd like it to be. It never is and never will be.