I'm listening now to a press conference with Harry Reid about a compromise that has been reached by Senate moderates to subvert the will of the conservative majority and allow several judges to receive up or down votes (and most likely be confirmed) while maintaining the right of the minority to filibuster future nominees. This is great news. It's great news for everyone except a small minority of intractable extremists led by majority leader Bill Frist.

The big question is what this will do to any future Supreme Court nomination battles which certainly are forthcoming. I think this battle is going to happen all over again, but who knows. Chances are this just delyed the fight for another day over more important judicial decisions. It might pave the way for a more moderate nominee. Probably wishful thinking.

Bill Frist is now talking on the floor of the Senate talking more crap about his constant refrain of "up or down" vote. It looks like Owen, Prior and Brown, some of the most egregious of the nominees and few others that were previously turned down by the Senate and were resubmitted by President Bush are going to see the floor of the Senate. Henry Saad will not. William Myers will not. Frist does not want to give up, but he's beholden to the Christian right for his presidential aspirations, so even though moderate Republicans have undermined his leadership with the compromise, he still needs to carry the fight to appease his rabid paymasters. It's really disgusting when he or any other senator on either side of the aisle is so blatantly in the pocket of one interest group or another.

Frist, of course, is now asserting his right to exercise what he calls the "Constitutional Option" at any time in the future. Great. It's too bad Frist is leaving the Senate after this term ends because I'd love to see him face the possibility of being the Majority Leader with a Democratic President and having to defend his "Up or Down" mantra.