Maybe I have this all wrong, but it seems to me to be an advantage to the Republicans to have Obama nominate a candidate now. I don't think their chances of winning the Presidency this year are very good, and maybe they'll lose control of the Senate. Then a Democratic President could pick a liberal nominee who would most certainly be confirmed.

But in the current situation, the Republican Senate can force Obama to pick a moderate or even moderately conservative nominee. If I were a Republican, I'd go for the sure thing and tell Obama to "bring his nominee on."

-Joe-