The Sotomayor Game Plan
For conservative activists, demonize her and fund-raise like mad from the base for as long as you can. The ultimate outcome doesn't matter - all that matters is raising a lot of money while stoking paranoia and partisan rage.
For the mainstream media, cover this like a boxing match and pray for a scandal. The ultimate outcome doesn't matter - all that matters is getting eyeballs and filling ad inventory.
For "moderate" Senate Democrats, subtly threaten to deny your support while negotiating in the back room for special favors. The ultimate outcome doesn't matter - all that matters is bringing home pork for your friends and insuring your re-election.
For Senate Republicans & the GOP establishment, pontificate over the Senate's role and drag things out. The ultimate outcome doesn't matter - all that matters is keeping one liberal off the court as long as you can get away with it (maybe through the whole next court session, so the conservative bloc of Roberts-Scalia-Alito has even more influence) and convincing the right-wing base that you did everything you could to block her.
Barring some major revelations of personal scandal, her confirmation is assured - eventually. But it will take time. What is the longest it has ever taken in the past to confirm a Supreme Court justice? Bet on beating that record.
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