OH-Kaaaay,
What is the big deal here????
The BAR has a tendency to be a liberal organization to begin with. Their quasi-official role in choosing judges has a tendency to install liberal-minded judges as well.
GW Bush is going to ignore the BAR in the choice of Federal Judges, MUCH to the BAR's chagrin. The Senate Judiciary Committee is balking at the prospect of the abandonment of a "tradition" that started under Eisenhower.
Nowhere does it [u]mandate[/u] that the BAR must help appoint the judges. They are a private organization who, although has unique insight into the qualities of a judge, still has liberal political interests to be satisfied. Recommendations from the BAR are nice, but should remain just that, a recommendation.
To the victor (President/Governor) go the spoils.