Doesn't it make the Republican Party seem weak if they're holding a Senate majority and have to rely on the VP to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm their own party's president's nominee? Cabinet votes are rarely, if ever, that close (edit: apparently a VP has never had to be called in to confirm a cabinet nominee) and having it come when both the White House and the Senate majority are from the same party seems like a poor reflection of the GOP's power.