From what I hear, this is a win, because we get the nominees that are up, with some vague threat that the Dems may filibuster future nominees, but with a corresponding threat that the Republicans can still go nuclear. The Dem line hasn't broken, but it's fallen back. This is win, albeit it isn't a rout.
Wrong...it's a total loss due to the spineless cowardly RINOS.
"Extraordianary circumstances" is NOT, in your words, a vague threat. Democrats will now throw around "EC" at every Bush nominee no matter what. The nominee could wear brown shows with a blue suit and that will be enough for the traitors in the DNC to say "extraordinary circumstances".
What really makes me laugh is that John McCain thinks he's helping himself when, in reality, he just kissed away any chance he thought he had to win the 2008 GOP nomination. Let him run as an independent.
The GOP is dead!