SOLD! (out)

Seven Republican Senators have bound themselves to vote against two of the President's judicial nominees, the effect being failure of the Senate to confirm, in return for seven Democrats agreeing only to filibuster future nominees under "extraordinary circumstances." CNN story HERE. The usual suspects will hail this compromise as being in the grand tradition of the United States Senate. And they will be right: the tradition of the pork barrel, the secret deal, and racial segregation.

Let there be no mistake. The Republicans get nothing (as all of the nominees would have been confirmed had these senators voted for them), while the Democrats defeat two nominees and remain entirely free to filibuster, and make their dishonest case for that loathsome practice, in the context of a Supreme Court nomination. The deal includes no definition of what constitutes "extraordinary circumstances," and the leader of the Democrat Seven is former Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the most partisan hack in the Senate. When a Supreme Court vacancy does occur, you can bet the farm that whoever is nominated for the seat will be opposed by NARAL, NOW, People for the American Way, et al., who will trumpet apocalyptic imminence, freeing their paid-for senators to filibuster.

John McCain, of course, hopes that this helps to cement his credentials with lefty independents and non-psychotic democrats. Note to John: Those people don't vote in Republican presidential primaries, or contribute to Republican candidates. Alternative theory: this constitutes McCain's decision not to run for president, but to instead remain in the Senate, where his (and the Senate's) importance is enhanced by the corrupt bargain.

The big winner? As pointed out to us by our Democratic consultant ("The Banker") before the fact, this is the best possible outcome for Bill Frist. He makes no more enemies than he already has in the Senate, and has his campaign issue for the Republican primaries handed to him: "Elect me president, and give me more Republican senators. I did my best in the Senate, I fought the good fight, I took on Teddy Kennedy, The New York Times and Al Franken, but got stabbed in the back by wishy-washy 'moderates.'"

Number 2 winner? Senator Clinton. She has avoided blame from any side, and remains free to tack toward the center, while the faithful know better.