Why is the GOP toning down criticism? Because it is becoming a booming racist voice by the crazies in the party. Obama, choosing a qualified nominee, split the GOP right down the middle with his supreme court nominee. You have the crazies itching for a fight and then you have the people who want to win elections telling them to chill it out.
From the same article:
The guy trying to elect repubs to the senate said "I think it's terrible. This is not the kind of tone any of us want to set when it comes to performing our constitutional responsibilities of advise and consent."
Newt and Rush are spouting a lot of hate right now and they GOP doesn't know what to do with the defacto leaders of their party. If it doesn't stop, it is going to get a lot uglier and the GOP will definitely lose a growing voting block: Latinos and Women
