This is the demoncrats reason for being. Like what Saddam Hussein did to Kuwait, theirs is a scorched earth policy.
They know they have no ideas and are corrupt and anyone with a sane choice should not vote for them.
But they figure, if they can "persuade" the other side to give up, they can occupy the vacuum.
The Democrats' reason for being?! Why do we even need Democrats—the Republicans are doing a just-dandy job of scorched-earth opposition to a nominee. The "responsible," "conservative," "Republican" establishment has, in the past week, called Miers a sycophantic, left-wing, lesbian, schoolgirlish, idiotic, unlearned, corrupt yokel crony—and this is a churchgoing workaholic with exactly zero skeletons in her closet. G_d help a nominee with an actual history for the braying pack to savage.
In this political climate, anyone who accepts a future nomination is certifiably insane. I hope the rest of the justices stay put, because I for one don't want any lunatics appointed to the Supreme Court.