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.
Group hysteria, let's get some perspective ....
The buzz in the blogospere is frantic over the compromise reached by the 12 Senators concerning the 5 Judicial nominees offered up by George Bush. Here is my take, the Republicans won this round. Here's why:
1) We have an up or down vote guaranteed on the 3 most contentious nominees Brown, Owen and Pryor.
2) We have given up nothing. The Dims promised not to filibuster unless under extraordinary circumstances. The other two nominess can be brought to the floor and if filibustered the Dims can be made out to be liars because the 3 most arguably extreme judges have already been allowed through.
3) The nuclear option can still be be used at any time.
4) The Dims got absolutely nothing except it allowed them a way out of this morass without totally losing face.
5) It will be virtually impossible for the Dims to try and filibuster one of these nominees if they are ever in line for the Supreme Court because they have already capitulated on them.
I was never sure that Frist had the votes to go nuclear, if he did he will have them a few weeks down the road should they be needed. The crapweasels blinked and we are better off now then we were a week ago.