Heck, I'd love to get JRB on the Court. But a compromise among the factions represented here at FR doesn't cut it. I don't think the factions here were divided as much over a like/dislike of Miers as a disagreement over what was possible given the current makeup of the Senate. Heal that rift, and you're still only talking about 45 Senate votes. The Snow/Specter RINO's are the ones we'd need to get, and I don't see where they have an incentive to pull together in support of a more conservative nominee than they'd have supported before Miers was nominated.
Supposedly, we "know" that we have 55 Republican votes and the VP to break ties. That means we can lose only 5 votes and no more. There's no chance of picking up a democrat vote on a partyline fight.
Who are the most conservative of the McCain 7? Supposedly, need only two of them to get a victory.
Republican Senators John McCain (Az.), Lindsey Graham (SC), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Olympia Snowe (Me.), Susan Collins (Me.), John Warner (Va.), and Lincoln Chafee (RI),
However, here's the real truth. This was the group rumored PRIOR to the actual nuclear option deal to be willing to vote AGAINST any nuclear option
(Link) Susan Collins (Maine), Chuck Hagel (Nebraska), Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania), John Warner (Virginia), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), John Sununu (New Hampshire)
In short, there are actually 11 Republican senators more than willing to vote AGAINST the nuclear option.
That means that SIX of the most conservative of that group must become converts.
I don't think it's possible to get anyone to the right of John Roberts confirmed, AND they will have to have nearly the same credentials and ability as Roberts.