And the Democrats were civil to Justice Kennedy and Justice Souter. Besides, there wasn't much the Republicans could do. Democrats still ran the Senate when Ginsburg and Breyer were confirmed. After the 1994 elections Clinton had to fight for many of his appointments.
There is no doubt that the Democrats started the whole partiasan issue of judges with Bork. And it's become the norm on both sides since.
Oh really? The republicans couldn't obstruct and block appointments when they were the minority. Why didn't someone tell that to the democrats from 2001 - 2006 then. As for civility to Kennedy and Souter, the democrats made loud threats to Bork anybody Bush nominated. In fact, when Souter was nominated, the dems screamed loudly with the same kind of rhetoric that the directed toward Alito, but the complaints were so utterly laughable that nobody took their rantings seriously. After several years of his rulings it is truly ludicrous that they ever complained about him. I have to disagree with your assessment that the partisan borking of judicial appointments has become the norm on both sides. The republicans NEVER even came close to the kind of slander of judicial nominees that is norm for the democrats anytime a GOP president appoints someone.