UPDATE - DUE TO A LACK OF MATH SKILLS AND VERY LITTLE SLEEP I WAS INCORRECT IN MY COUNT. I HAD KNOWLES WINNING AK, AND IT LOOKS LIKE MURKOWSKI WILL WIN. THUS, I WAS NOT CORRECT IN ALL SENATE PREDICTIONS, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT OUR ADVANTAGE IS +4 AND WE ONLY NEED TO CONVERT 5 DEMS TO BREAK A FILIBUSTER. SORRY, BUT IT'S A GOOD ERROR TO MAKE. THE MATH HAS BEEN CORRECTED IN THE ARTICLE, BUT YES, THE ORIGINAL COUNT WAS WRONG.
I'm not sure Lincoln Chaffee can be counted on in all things Republican in the Senate....
The trick will be breaking the FIRST filibuster. After we can show it can be done, there will be less resistance for the others.
And one of the first things Bush should do to start a second term is a VERY public PR campaign that the Senate is w-a-y behind on filling positions on the bench and he has an entire slate of them ready to go including Estrada and all the appeals court nominees that were blocked last time.
Be agrressive, Bush! The country has spoken so NOW is the time to use the bully pulpit and don't be a wuss about it.