Glad to see this didn't happen -- that wouldn't have been good for anyone. I doubt we've seen the end of this, though -- "extraordinary circumstances" is too vague of a term to have any teeth.

Re: Nuclear Option Averted

yeah, thank you John McCain for excercising your duty to actually act on behalf of the citizens. you truly are one of a kind.

Re: Nuclear Option Averted

Glad to see that communication, or at least common sense, is not totally dead in DC. I kinda doubt either side was intending to invoke the nuclear/constitutional option anyway - using it more as a thinly veiled threat to light a fire under the opposition. I find it hard to believe that the Repubs seriously thought that they'd get all those judges through, or that the Dems thought they could actually block each and every one from getting a seat.

I agree with Toasty, the phrasing of the compromise does make it pretty useless in the long run - the next time one side brings a name to the table that the other has a problem with, it will be dubbed an "extraordinary circumstance" and we'll be right back to square one.

This was just for show, imo. A photo op for guys like Frist and Reid to show that the Senate isn't as partisan as it seems - big ol' bag a bullshit, or in other words, business as usual.