When we last left the chaotic landscape of the Supreme Court's vacant seat, Harriet Miers had been hounded from nominee status by the hard-right conservatives before hearings could take place, let alone a vote. Republicans seemed relieved by this, as they waited for someone more to their ideological liking.

Today, Sam Alito is hauled out and the Republicans applaud. Now that they approve of the nominee, the old "up-or-down vote" talking point is pulled out of the mothballs it was so hastily stuffed into after Miers was nominated:

"The Senate is responsible for providing advice and consent, not partisan obstruction," said Thune, who never said whether he would support Miers. "Let's give Judge Alito a fair up or down vote."

So Miers didn't deserve an up-or-down vote, but Alito does. I suppose the lesson here is that "partisan obstruction" is OK when Republicans do it.