[LexBaird]

I was against the gang of 14 too - but with 20/20 hindsight now, I was wrong, it worked out well. it prevented Roberts and most especially Alito, from being fillibustered.

I disagree strongly. What it did was perpetuate the "gentleman's filibuster", which has no place in a Constitutional Senate. Roberts and Alito would have survived a filibuster of the standard type, as the harsh light of the process revealed how baseless the Kennedy type attacks were. Instead, we got two USSC justices through without a real fight, but allowed the Dems to scuttle many, many more good appointments in the dark.

[oceanview]

alito would not have, there would not have been 60 votes for cloture, and there would not have been 51 votes for a rules change. so he would have not been confirmed.