Samuel Alito’s nomination to the Supreme Court can do far more than replace Sandra Day O’Connor amidst a short-term political battle. Done right, the Democrats’ response can set the political stage for the next three years. For the loyal opposition versus right-wing power, it’s eyeball to eyeball, now or never, showdown time at the OK corral, and every other apt cliché in the book.

This, from the NYT, framed the opening salvo of the needed Armageddon: “Over the weekend, Senator Harry Reid … warned President Bush not to pick Judge Alito, 55…. And on Sunday, he did not rule out the possibility that Democrats would try to block a nominee by a filibuster…. But Senator Lindsey Graham [said] if the Democrats staged a filibuster against Judge Alito … because of [his] conservatism, ‘the filibuster will not stand.’”

Good. Wonderful. Let us pray that Graham – that theatrical, awe-shucks charlatan of the formerly compromising Gang of 14 – means what he says. Senate conservatives have been terribly frustrated since experiencing nuclear interruptus last spring, have been itching for a shot at deploying the option, and it’s time to let them let it rip. The fallout will dust no one but themselves.

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