The blatant Rovian false memo about Democrats smearing Alito several seconds after his announcement doesn't hide the truth - that this isn't Bush's and Rove's first choice as SCOTUS nominee, and that Alito is plainly and clearly a fop to the Pat Buchanan's and Rush Limbaughs of the world.
It's downright comical how Rove and the administration have manufactured a "false controversy" to try to win back support of their religious right base. Could such a move be any more cynical, after they tried to foist Harriet Miers on them, and they rejected them so resoundingly? Do they really think their religious right followers are so stupid that they will back them on this, after he sold them down the river with Miers? It betrays a sheer lack of respect for their base. They must consider them as malleable as Silly Putty.
For Democrats, this should be so easy to attack it's laughable. The meme should be, "This isn't Bush's nominee, this is RUSH'S nominee." It emphasizes that this is completely out of Bush's hands - like the war in Iraq and so many other aspects of this administration. It puts Bush in bed with Pat Buchanan and Rush Limbaugh - a slave to the far right. It also nationalizes the Republicans with this failed appointment of Miers - and I'd be saying Miers, Miers, Miers every time Alito came up.
It's a great opportunity for Democrats to make a lot of hay. And it's going to be difficult for even Republicans to get behind Alito if this happens, since they will be tarred with the brush of being in bed with Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan.
This could be what delivers '06 for the Democrats.