The Nuclear Option Decision has already been made, and not a peep from the media: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-poised-to-limit-filibusters-in-party-line-vote-that-would-alter-centuries-of-precedent/2013/11/21/d065cfe8-52b6-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html?utm_term=.3855c2b6cc56
The GOP loses NOTHING by going nuclear because there will ALWAYS be the McCains and Grahams and so on to confirm whatever far left nominee the Dems put up. But there will NEVER be crossover Dems to do the same in our direction. The nuclear option simply evens the playing field.