Two ways to Reid the same story

John Nichols begins his article in the Nation with " Never underestimate the determination of Washington Democrats to try and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, was seeking a compromise on what ought to be a matter of principle. The compromise that Reid was advancing would have seen Republicans back off their push for a "nuclear option" to shut down filibusters in return for Democratic acquiescence to the GOP's demand that some of the White House's most objectionable judicial nominations be allowed to advance.

...Reid succumbed to fears that the American people might not be with him on the question of whether the rule of law ought to prevail in America.

But the Daily Kos has another take, and I think more assuring if not astute:

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

...Frist painted himself into a corner, having whipped up the forces of wingnuttery into a froth, he could not back down without damaging his White House aspirations for 2008. He's banking on the crazies to get him the nomination.

So Reid got the Democrats to look conciliatory, forcing Frist and his Republicans to look even more inflexible than before.

Both articles note how American's overwhelmingly dissaprove (66% to 26%) of the GOP's "nuclear option" as do enough Republicans to keep the nuclear option sketchy.

Relatedly, Bob Dole gives an underwhelming, dare I pun "impotent", plea of "Gee whiz guys, just let them vote up or down, I did" He doesn't so much endorse the nuclear option so much as warn "well heck, Frist warned you." It's as if the blocked nominees are only as conservative as Clinton's were liberal. Where oh where can one learn about these judges? The last three are admittedly just stuck in the crossfire, but the show down is definately worth keeping the first four out.