I agree with you that this didn't come close to Bork or Thomas in venom. Not even close.
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I watched both, and the others did not divide the party like this one, and they were not even close to the damage done this time.
I don't think there is damage done that won't be healed before 2006 -- I have been on flame wars on here before and after it is all done, we go back to the normal happenings.
I am a Party Officer in my County and no one I talked with liked this nomination all that well but they also supported Pres Bush. Most hoped that she would withdraw her nomination.
I don't see a big rift in my County or State of Oklahoma over this nomination. What I do see are people that want Congress to get off their duff and cut pork and for the President to nominate someone to SCOTUS we can all get behind.
This site and conservative commentators with people who call only are a microcosm of the people in the trenches -- it doesn't tell the whole story. It is like brothers and sisters fighting but when someone from outside the family picks on them they band together. If the RATs think this has done damage, bring it on and they will see how this large family of the Conservative grassroots will band together and take them down.