Politically speaking, I think John Cole's new guestblogger Tim is exactly right on all this. Bush had no choice other than to nominate Alito (or Luttig, or someone similar) to the Court. And that's important in mentally framing the debate: George W. Bush is running this nomination from a place of weakness. He did not nominate a hardliner because he trusted in his own strength, he nominated a hardliner because he learned he was no longer strong. Alito is a sop to the right, a base closer, red meat for radicals. And Democrats should remember that.
