The Hub of Politics

The Washington Times reported yesterday that Republicans may no longer have the 50-votes necessary to exercise the Constitutional Option for un-blocking GWBs long-stalled appellate court nominees. Funny, I could swear that they counted 53-noses in favor only last week.

Rocket Man has picked up on this as well, and nicely summarizes the situation:

Sad, if true.

The names of the Republicans going squishy on the Constitutional Option should be a surprise to no-one:

• Chaffee (RINO-RI): firmly opposed - explain to me again why we should keep him and not the pro-life likely Democrat nominee in '06?
• Snowe (RINO-ME): citing "concerns about protecting the minority party and avoiding a Democratic promise to halt most Senate business" - blah blah blah
• Collins (R(sometimes)-ME): uncommitted, reported to be "very concerned about the overuse of the filibuster", but "also concerned that a rule change will further charge the partisan atmosphere to the point that we will not be able to conduct business" - Uh, memo to Ms. Collins: voting on judicial nominees is the Senate's business, and that ain't getting done now, is it?
• Warner (R(for the most part)-VA): claims to have a problem changing Senate tradition, in spite of the fact that the Demos have already done so by setting the bar for judicial confirmation at 60.
• And, of course, the Twins - Hagel and McCain: 'nuf said.

On the up-side, McConnell (KY) and Stevens (AK), long rumored to be soft on the Constitutional Option, both announced their strong support. From McConnell's statement:

Unfortunately, this obstruction necessitates that we restore these norms and traditions, and that includes through the use of the so-called 'constitutional' option.

Indeed.

Other senators (Sununu, Cochran and Voinovich) have remained uncommitted, but I would only be worried about Voinovich, personally.

The bottom-line is that if Frist doesn't get this done then he may as well run for re-election to the Senate against Harold Ford, Jr. in 2006 because he would have precisely zero chance of securing the nomination to the Big Office in '08.

Similarly, if Hagel and/or McCain vote against Frist and the GOP on this one, they may as well kiss their national aspirations goodbye.

No one likes a "maverick" that torpedoes their leader and their party when the chips are down - just ask former CT Senator/Governor/RINO Lord Lowell P Weicker, Jr. - who left office in 1994 with an approval rating in the low-teens.

Update: Oh well, it would appear that Linc may be the best option for us in the Isle of Rhode after all.