[gooper]

I just wish that the Democrats had convinced 40 members to vote against cloture, just to see those DUmmies and Kossites celebrate, only to realize that it takes 60 votes for cloture, and 100-40=60, so they actually needed 41 votes for cloture. Actually, Bob Fertik's quote was correct. They only needed 40 Democrats to vote against cloture since the Senate's lone (I) also voted against. The point is moot, of course, since 15 or 16 Democrats voted for Alito before they voted against him.

[AuH2ORepublican]

I doubt that Fertik was counting Jeffords as anything but a Democrat. The guy truly thought that 40 votes could sustain a filibuster. (Of course, since 3 members were absent when they voted for cloture, as few as 38 votes to continue debate would have carried the day, since 60 Senators, not 60% of Senators present, must vote for cloture.)