The minority appointees were the poison pills. Now, the Dems don't have to deal with them in the PR battle. They won. We had the upperhand and could have gone for the kill. We showed mercy in the fight and the Dems live to fight another day and to obstruct our agenda. The GOP should have taken this to the public and fought the battle for all the marbles there.
They filibustered them. They were forced to allow them a vote. They were called neanderthals by Kennedy. How is this a victory for the Democrats? How can any Republican who will vote for a Bush nominee call that nominee extreme? The Republicans will be forced to vote for the rule change if any nominee who they would vote for is filibustered.