LUCY, YOU PROMISED:

True Test of Senate Compromise Lies Ahead (CARL HULSE, 6/10/05, NY Times)

Democrats have stood practically powerless this week as Justice Brown and Judge Pryor were confirmed to lifetime appointments, leaving Republicans to revel in their new judicial successes.

"I think you are seeing the system work," a beaming Dr. Frist told Judge Pryor in a phone call staged for the benefit of Senate photographers about an hour before his confirmation on a 53-to-45 vote.

Two other nominees to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, David W. McKeague and Richard A. Griffin, were confirmed without opposition while another, Thomas B. Griffith, is expected to be cleared on Monday.

Democrats concede that the past few days have belonged to President Bush and the Republicans. But they say they will benefit in the long run by the compromise that preserved their ability to filibuster future nominees if they choose.

"These three judges were bitter medicine," said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, referring to Judges Owen, Brown and Pryor, "but I believe the Senate and our caucus were better for it."

Mr. Durbin and other Democrats interpret the judicial pact to mean that they can block future nominees they find objectionable with assurances from the Republican signatories that they will not support a move to prohibit judicial filibusters. But Republicans, including some who are part of the compromise, disagree. They say that a judicial filibuster they view as unwarranted could quickly return the Senate to the brink of the procedural showdown that prompted the compromise in the first place.

The GOP got all its tough nominees up front, so has deflated the activist Left--think anyone can name any of the picks still to be confirmed? nevermind stir passionate opposition to them in a matter of days--and has W waiting in the wings to announce a whole new batch.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 10, 2005 9:08 AM