"I say he has been dragged to this because he would not have done it if he had not felt the pressure from conservative groups and constitutionalists."
Again, I ask you for the proof. Where has he said that he was opposed to the "constitutional option", if push came to shove? Please leave the emotion out of it (e.g., "I'm sick of this", "I'm tired of that,") and show me how Frist has been forced to change his position on the "constitutional option" by the pressure you speak of.
And, by the way, it would be nice if MORE Republicans listened to the pressure from "conservative groups and constitutionalists" rather than trying to get a nice write up in the Washington Post. (See e.g., McCain et. al)
I didn't say that he was previously against the nuclear option, though I have no doubt that he would do anything possible to avoid it. Majority leaders such as Lyndon Johnson and Robert Byrd would not have been so reluctant. The pressure caused all these "attempts of comity" to collapse and force his hand to bring us to this precipice. In the last Congress, we had the useless counter-filibuster, which was nothing of the kind. How about making the democrats talk for hours and hours if they want to filibuster. No, that wouldn't be conciliatory. He's done nothing but wait, and meet, and talk, and meet, and wait, and talk. Now he has finally acted because there's nothing left to do. Well, I would prefer someone whose FIRST instinct is to act.