And, another plus side for us is, if the barking moonbats on the left manage to peel off one or two votes for cloture, then we can 'pull the trigger' on the constitutional option for an imminently qualified candidate like Alito, making the next opening that Bush might get even easier to get confirmed... Justice JRB anyone??
Yup. The constitutional option is much easier to execute in the context of Alito, than it would be in the context of a truly controversial nomination. And I think Frist would tailor the point of order narrowly, pertaining to ONLY SCOTUS nominations, making it even easier to pass. I would disagree with that approach, but expect that would be the one taken.
... making the next opening that Bush might get even easier to get confirmed... Justice JRB anyone?
President Bush is a moderate Republican. He wouldn't nominate a Justice with the world view of JRB for SCOTUS. It took a bunch of wailing to get Miers withdrawn.