Na-Na a Boo-Boo

"We boxed them in," one lawyer present during the strategy meetings said with pride in an interview over the weekend. This lawyer and others present who described the meeting were granted anonymity because the meetings were confidential and because the team had told its allies not to exult publicly until the confirmation vote was cast.

This quote is from an excellent article in the NYT, titled In Alito, G.O.P. Reaps Harvest Planted in '82. The entire article should be read for the insight it gives into the evolution of the conservative judicial movement.

This quote, however, was especially revealing to me. It's funny, but as the Alito nomination has progressed to its inevitable denouement, I couldn't help but think that the Republicans were sitting back gloating about the whole thing. I could almost picture them chuckling behind closed doors at the helpless spectacle of the Democrats floundering in a futile attempt to stop the "done deal" as the article refers to it.

In fact, I almost blogged about it on several occasions. I could just picture it. It had to be. The same people that believe in a "scorched earth" policy also believe in celebrating victory over the spoils. And now, my imaginary vision (nightmare?) has been confirmed.