I understand your point on whether there is history of waiting or playing politics in lame duck year... and that is worthy of debate.
That was not what I believe the Republicans are being honest about though. My point was that the Republicans are being honest about their intentions to block any candidate that Obama suggests. Quite honestly, people on the left have to be smiling (if not laughing) at how the Republicans are handling this issue. The Democrats are now in a no lose situation, thanks exclusively to how the Republicans behaved without any prodding from the Democrats. The Republicans have handed the Democrats an easy and obvious way to 1. get people to donate money, 2. an issue that will never go away for the entire campaign, and 3. a subject that ties into MANY OTHER subjects that illustrate the points Democrats have been accusing the Republicans for years on - how the Republicans are Obstructers, inflexible Idealogs, and are just playing politics without regard for the country... all topics that tend to chase independants to the Democrats.