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A RINO- moderate Rat coalition holds the balance of power in the Senate. Its interesting all the Democrats who inked the deal came from Red States. They're looking ahead to the '06 elections. They could care less if Dingy Harry hates President Bush. Its not a position that plays well in their home states. For the RINOs, the deal allows them to tell their Blue State voters we've restrained more ideological nominees and restored power to the Senate in the consideration of Presidential nominations. There's enough in there to serve the political interests of these Senators over the next year.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

Thank you, kristinn, for your very perceptive post #100; the Dems obviously caved.

And thank you, gsgop, for your many lucid posts on this thread, as well as your mature demeanor in the face of hot rhetoric. Your post #116, where you noticed the home-states of the compromisers, nailed the situation exactly.

I've read the first 150 posts on this thread, and no one has commented on this feature of the deal. After Frist announced the deal, Reid said on the Senate floor that this finally puts the eight Clinton years behind them, obviously meaning that the Dems no longer can hold over the GOP the Clinton nominees who never got a vote. We'll hold them to that. They can always gin up more excuses, but they've given up that cherished old one.