The Supreme Court Nomination Carnival/Dog Fight

     The most recent Supreme Court nomination hearings i.e. Soto-Mayor, had a relapse into quasi-civility which will probably go the way of the Dodo Bird given the hyper partisanship that exists in the wake of the health care debate. No matter who Obama's latest nominee is, the rhetoric will probably be hot as the usual single issue groups descend on the hearings; members of Congress succumb to the urges of political posturing; bloggers and the cable tv commentariat crank up their doomsday scenarios "if" or "if not" the nominee is confirmed.  We can expect orchestrated hysteria from gun rights and gun control advocates; immigration supporters and opponents and of course the ever hysterical abortion "choice" and "life" groups for whom no other issue is important in Supreme Court nomination battles.  The hyper politicization of the Supreme Court nomination process is a sad legacy of the Robert Bork debacle and its second act, the Clarence Thomas soap opera.  Expectations on the Left are high given the occupation of the White House by a self described "liberal" so any hint of moderation on the part of the nominee will cause much distress in that group.  A clearly identifiable "liberal" nominee on the other hand will bring out the far Right "Chicken Littles" who will be predicting an end to the world as we know it.  So let the games begin.