My impression is that the civil rights groups are being used as cover for the other groups in the RAT coalition. The evidence seemed pretty strong that that was the case for Pickering, and it is very likely the case for Shedd as well. In which case the threat that black groups in LA may not support Landrieu is a hollow one.
By the way, would a filibuster on Shedd stop passage of the homeland security bill?
The Rat destruction of Pickering had the interesting side effect of causing the defeat of Rat Congressman Ronnie Shows.