"This confirmation debate serves as an opportunity that we didn't have in the election. It affords the opportunity to show the American people the consequences of their votes," said Manuel Miranda, chairman of the Third Branch Conference. "When they voted last November for a very charismatic candidate who also happened to be African American, they did not know that they were electing someone who would appoint judges who would rewrite the law."

The discussion, hosted by Judicial Watch, highlighted continuing concerns on the right about Sotomayor: the New Haven firefighters case, the "wise Latina" woman comment, gun rights and the "empathy" standard. But throughout the discussion panelists kept coming back to Obama. In fact, that's how Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton opened up the discussion.

"We have to give points to President Obama for clarity on his judicial philosophy," Fitton said. "Sotomayor is a constantly shifting landscape. She is moment-to-moment on her moods, bias and personal whims. That problem would arise with any Supreme Court nominee of Barack Obama's."

The panelists, who also included Roger Clegg, president and general counsel of the Center for Equal Opportunity, and Curt Levey, executive director of the Committee for Justice, acknowledged what most SCOTUS observers have been saying all along: that Sotomayor is likely to be confirmed. With that in mind, conservatives see this nomination as an opportunity to send Obama a message about his future court appointments: that they will not hesitate to put up a fight over what they see as judicial activism.