Vice President Dick Cheney also made a late appeal for Lott to reverse his earlier decision to retire.
I think this says that Lott has gotten Bush's support to be majority leader in the next Senate. Lott was not going to run again just to be another Senator.
It may also mean that Frist now has enough votes to do the nuclear option.
If he does, then some say the Democrats will not filibuster Alito. I don't see what is in that for Democrats. If Frist does the nuclear option and then gets all the stalled Bush nominees confirmed in hours .. so what. The other option to prevent the nuclear option is for Democrats not only to fold on Alito but on all those other nominees. If Democrats tried to filibuster again they would just get the nuclear option pulled on one of the other appeals court judicial nominees.
I am still not sure that the Democrats will not filibuster Alito. They may figure that they can play the Nuclear option game to their advantage once they are back in power.
I feel certain that were the rolls reversed the Democrats would not hesitate a second to do the nuclear option. And if they don't force Republicans to do the nuclear option for Alito... they will have to fold on lots of other nominees. So from their standpoint there is little to be gained by avoiding the Nuclear option.. If the result is the same ether way, they could count on the media playing the story as bad Republicans doing the nuclear option. That would make it a lot easier for Democrats to use the nuclear option once they are in power.
I don't have any inside information.. but I think Bush finally gave in to Lott's demands. If so, the chances of tax cuts and a lot more making it through the Senate in this session looks much improved.
It will be interesting to watch. It appears to me that the 55 Democratic senators may start acting more like an organized unit rather than a family feud. Lott at his press conference announcing his run for reelection said he would do all he could to see that Senator Frist succeeded.
If we see leaked stories about Frist just being a front man and Lott calling the shots we will know what is going on.
It will be interesting to watch. It appears to me that the 55 Democratic senators
You meant Republican. Good analysis...
And if they don't force Republicans to do the nuclear option for Alito... they will have to fold on lots of other nominees. So from their standpoint there is little to be gained by avoiding the Nuclear option.. If the result is the same ether way, they could count on the media playing the story as bad Republicans doing the nuclear option.
5.56mm
You may be quite right. I hope so, because it would be a good opportunity for both sides to rectify mistakes and get something done.