corrente

Who knew such things were even possible for the Beltway Dems?!?! Kos explains:

Reid just engaged Frist in a game of chicken, and Frist blinked first.

Reid has been extrememly effective in whipping up opposition to the Nuclear Option, garnering strong grass- and netroots support, editorial board support, and popular support (as the latest polls show scant appetitite for ending the filibuster).

But in order to avoid looking like obstructionists, Demcorats had to make efforts to "find a compromise", lest the chattering class get the vapors from such Democratic intransigence.

Had Frist accepted the offers for compromise, Bush would've gotten the majority of his judges through, and Democrats would've gotten -- who knows what. All published compromise offers didn't seem to give our side anything.

So Democrats would've faced a sea of criticism from our own side for snatching defeat out of the hands of victory. Frist and Co. would've finally gotten a procedural victory against Reid (who has run circles around them thus far). And all that good will Reid had built in the netroots over the past four months would've evaporated in one fell swoop.

It was one heck of a gamble, but the Senator from Nevada played his cards right.
(via Kos)

Now, I have to admit when I saw the opening moves in this gambit I went nuts, because it was presented that the Dems read polling data, and decided to pull back on their rights. (Remember, the Democratic Senators represent a majority of the population, though not of the Senate, since the Senate is gerrymandered by design, to protect the smaller States. So, in this case, the filibuster actually protects majority rule, not the reverse, as the Repubicans disingenuously claim.)

Why didn't the Dems act on principle, I asked? Well... Maybe because the story wouldn't have been written if it hadn't been given the polling data hook. Who knows?

Anyhow, it seems to be working out for the best, thanks to Harry Reid.

And of Frist, we can ask again: Who's your Daddy? And it looks like Frist's Daddy is Dominionist James Dobson. Good.