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When I hear this, I immediately ask...just who hatched this secret plan...and who was in on it? Were Rove, Frist and McCain secretly working behind the scenes to pull this off? Frist should win the Academy Award. If Rove is this clever...and has the RINO accomplices to pull this off..

McCrazy was not in on anything. He's just the chump. It's possible that Rove hatched the plan, but I doubt it - - but I do think that the GOP leadership has been taking notes. It's all about political "judo".

I happen to believe that Graham is in on the scheme, and I am fairly certain that the last-minute, out-of-the-blue arrival of DeWine was part of the play. Sending in DeWine was a masterstroke!

Somebody posted on another thread that they thought part of "the deal" was that the conservatives had to act like they lost. There may be more truth to that bit of sarcasm than meets the eye. The irony is that many conservatives DO think they lost - - and it's no act! But of all the people who were apparently fooled by "the deal", Rush is the most disappointing. Rush, of all people, should understand that the act being played out is not for the benefit of any "base" - - it is for the benefit of that huge mindless chattering class of people who get the sum total of their news from top-of-the-hour CBS sound bites on their car radios during the drive home from work.

Think for a minute about the ramifications of calling for a vote to go nuclear and LOSING that vote.... Rush and some other conservatives sound like they were willing to take that risk as a matter of PRINCIPLE! No thanks. In this game, winning is the ONLY thing. Losing while proving that you are "principled" is like being a good driver who gets killed in a car crash that was the other guy's fault.

The fact is, Frist DID NOT HAVE the votes to go nuclear. A few fence-sitting Senators needed cover - - they needed a stronger reason to "nuke" the Senate than a distaste for a Democrat filibustering tactic that had been successfully sold to the masses by the dying socialist "mainstream" media as the only weapon "the little guy" had against "the tyranny of the majority". Add to that all the baloney about the "staid tradition of the Senate", etc., and it was easy to paint the Republicans as bullies. The Democrats were winning the PR war, plain and simple, thanks mainly to their allies in the liberal newsrooms.

But now, thanks to "the deal", the fence-sitting "moderates" have all the cover they need. Any frivolous filibustering of nominees who are NOT as conservative as Priscilla Owens will be viewed as a breach of contract - - a betrayal. Not only have Graham and DeWine stated that they will have little tolerance for Democrat obstructionism, but now EVEN SUSAN COLLINS has joined in with that same refrain! Thanks to "the deal", Frist now has the votes. In the bag.

And it will now be much tougher for the rats and their allies in the press to paint the Republicans as unreasonable bullies - - they "compromised" didn't they?

Game, set, match.

It is a beautiful thing.

For your scenario to make sense...the RINOS would have to agree to allow the 'nuklar' option to be exercised at some later point in the future if the dems filibuster...else the pubs gain nothing at all from this activity.

Now...you maintain that these RINOS would not support the nuklar option to be exercised TODAY...else why would we want this 'deal'...just do the nuklar option NOW and get it over with. Hold the vote and see whats what.

The assumption would in addition then have to be that these same RINOS actually want conservative, strict constructionist judges to be appointed...they just don't want to go nuklar AT THIS TIME, but maybe LATER ..if its absolutely positively necessary to do so. I guess they respect the comity and traditions of the Senate more than they want good judges on the bench.

How do we know how many RINOS in the senate actually want conservative candidates sitting on the bench? How many want Bolton confirmed? How many...being moderates or liberals...or opportunists...or worse...actually want a conservative agenda enacted?

Its a good question...your scenario IMO assumes good intent on the part of the RINOS (like Collins et al). You also neglect the effects of what will be a massive PR / spin operation later on...if these RINOS are called upon to act on the nuklar option. Will they be able to stand up to a relentless media spin campaign...designed to save the Republic from extremist judges on the SCOTUS?

Ill tell you what is definite..they do NOT want to go on the record NOW as voting for or against the Presidents nominees.

JMHO..but this deal was done now for the precise reason of confusing the base...so this moderate RINO power block can have their cake and eat it too...deny conservatives a seat on the bench...but hide it from the base so as to minimize their exposure come the next primary election. In effect they will deny FUTURE as yet unannounced conservative nominees a chance at being nominated...using this agreement as a club against the President.

Actually..I hope you are right and I am wrong...and we get all of Bush's nominees voted on and confirmed...ASSUMING that part of the deal is not for Bush to only appoint moderate candidates like Gonzales to the SCOTUS.

If thats part of the hidden fine print here...count me out.