[Cboldt]

What was the purpose of this vote if they were going to allow other matters to be considered??

To put the Senators on the record as opposing taking a vote on confirmation of Estrada.

It's fun to be a critic, I know, but I suggest that you reserve the Monday-morning quarterbacking until the game is over. Estrada will be confirmed, and the GOP will see to it, while not damaging itself (the GOP) in the eyes of the (lazy, non-news junkie) public; and at the same time, inflicting maximum damage to the Democrat party.

[steveegg]

I'm not overly patient. If the precedent is set that you don't even have to expend energy to force every vote to be a supermajority, that bodes very ill. You may say that the Pubbies could do the same thing, but they won't. It will become a uniquely-DemonRATic tactic.