"This is where too much compromise leads. If you make power trump principle, pretty soon you have a crisis like this one."
Bingo. This is a clash of the pragmatics and the conservatives for the soul of the republican party
Conservatives have compromised on big government, and spending, ceding power to the Pragmatics.
The Pragmatics won on this nomination, despite GWB's assertion that he would nominate conservative justices - principles were compromised in favor of a perceived "confirmability factor".
This clash between two wings of the Republican party was inevitable. If conservatives lose, there is no end to compromising on principle - which is to say, there are no principles.
Conservatives had to draw the line. This is it.
This appears to be headed for a nice little knock down drag out for the soul of conservatism. It was inevitable. Had to happen some day. I guess it needs to be now.