Old conventional wisdom: a super-smart conservative judge with a

track record cannot be confirmed. Find a competent but non-stellar

judge with conservative inclinations and no paper trail and sneak him

through. New conventional wisdom: a super-smart conservative judge

is easier to confirm. He’ll outsmart his senatorial critics,

paper-trail or no. The Harriet Miers nomination was a product of the

old conventional wisdom. The new conventional wisdom means that, for

some time to come, Republican presidents are going to be choosing

nominees who delight conservatives.