[1066AD]

I'm afraid I've forgotten why cloture needs 60 rather than a simple majority, is this a relatively recent development ?

[MediaAnalyst]

"I'm afraid I've forgotten why cloture needs 60 rather than a simple majority, is this a relatively recent development ?"

I'm not sure, but the continued use of filibusters on nominees, to the courts or elsewhere, is brand new. The MSM would love us to think that there is nothing unusual about this tactic, but it has NEVER been done on a sustained basis by Republicans (although both we and the Dems have used other tactics to slow down nominees).

[Otho]

60 is actually an improvement. It used to be 2/3 of Senators sworn, which with 100 Senators meant 67 votes for cloture. The 67 vote rule was changed to 60 in 1975, led by Majority Leader Robert Byrd.