Yes they are. Sotomayer simply replaces a lib already in place. No gain for the libs and George W had a great opportuntiy to stack the court with Conservatives.
Even with Sotomayor, the Court still keeps it's 5-4 Conservative slant. It really depends on when the next justice retires, who retires, and who's President at the time, that will decide if it stays that way.
If you really stop for a moment and make an analysis of 0bama's motivation for nominating Sotomayor to the high court you'll come to the realization that his only purpose is to garner the uneducated hispanic vote, nothing more nothing less. One must keep in mind that 'the beloved Equivocator' takes no action unless that action will benifit his cause or help him achieve a benchmark in his clandestine plan that I can assure you does not include the benifit of the United States or its people!
