"Strategists from both parties have spent years of preparation on campaigns designed to capitalize on the momentum and public support that can be gained immediately after the announcement of a Supreme Court nominee," the Washington Post reports.
"In a calculation akin to the 'golden hour,' in which paramedics race to get a critically ill patient to a hospital, Senate strategists have concluded that the first four to six hours will determine which side is left on the defensive. These minutely detailed strategies are ready to be activated regardless of whom Bush nominates."