mal doesn't realize the Scylla-Charybdis situation into which this puts Ds.
On one hand, Whitaker's W'pedia bio suggests he's someone Ds will intensely dislike, and is not a Justice-Department Swamp-Dweller. So besides their ability to obstruct Trump's nominee being impaired when the new Senate is seated, obstructing would keep someone they loathe in the temporary AG position.
OTOH, Trump knows the lay of DC's land better and has an increased Senate majority. So his pick may be someone the Ds will hate more than they did Sessions.