Ok, so basically what has happened is that Cornyn has basically “gotten out of the way” so that the confirmation can even be put on the schedule to come up for a vote. He is not actually voting to confirm the guy, just to allow the vote to be scheduled to happen.
So I guess what everyone is saying by “straight up or down vote”, is that it was agreed not to delay the vote by parlamentary procedures, but just get on with the voting?
He couldn't be much :in the way", beyond objecting to voting, and then casting a NAY vote for cloture - which is how he voted on that. No senator has the power to maintain a perpetual block over the wishes of a determined 60.
-- So I guess what everyone is saying by “straight up or down voteâ€, is that it was agreed not to delay the vote by parlamentary procedures, but just get on with the voting? --
Technically, 63 senators said "lets get on with the vote," and the NAY votes said "not so fast, we aren't ready to vote yet." 60 being ready to vote forces the body to take the vote.