At the risk of turning skreidle's journal into a battleground...

I agree with xiaoshira that "just because the other guy did it" is no excuse. That said, regardless of the Democrats' motivations, Republicans can hardly justify criticism of the tactics they themselves employed.

And I disagree with visgoth that this is just about a display of power. It's about the right to be heard, and attempts by the majority to ensure that the minority is not heard.

Finally, if President Bush and the Republicans really cared about filling vacant seats, they would retract their controversial nominees and put forth more moderate ones. But it's far more useful, politically, for them to stand their ground and use this as a wedge issue to make Democrats look like obstructionists. So I would look carefully before you start blaming Democrats for the state of the judiciary.