Last night I freaked out when Bush mentioned that he consulted with Sen. Leahy on the Roberts nomination. Did Old Pat really give this guy a pass? Today, this:

"No one is entitled to a free pass to a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court," said Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, senior Democrat on the committee that will question the 50-year-old appeals court judge later this summer.

and this, in his email to Democracy for America listmembers:

The American people deserve a justice who understands and respects the views of all the people of this great nation. The Supreme Court belongs to all Americans, including the 49 percent who made a different choice for President. Now that a nominee has been chosen, the debate begins on whether Judge Roberts will be such a jurist. We all have a stake in this process -- and a responsibility to evaluate this nomination on the basis of the facts and the issues of vital importance to ordinary Americans everywhere.

I knew the guy would hang tough. (Vermont's congressional delegation always represents. He basicly sums up my opinion on wether this thing is worth a fight. We might not have a chance of Borking Roberts, but that does not mean that the Democrats should shut thier mouths, as some have suggested. So what if Roberts is not pure evil? The confirmation hearing will be a great chance to interogate the conservative worldview.