Nuclear Option

Following up on Kash’s post on the possibility of Republicans amending Senate rules to eliminate filibusters, at least in the context of judicial confirmations, I challenge anyone to watch Senate majority leader Frist’s address last Friday to The Federalist Society and conclude that he is not ready to end judicial filibusters. (To watch, go here and scroll down to “Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) Address to Federalist Society.”) I suppose one could hope that by credibly threatening to end filibusters, Frist is hoping the Democrats won’t filibuster, making the certain to be rancorous step of ending them unnecessary.

Meanwhile, the brave and fact-based writer at the Washington Post, Jim Abrams, describes Frist’s position simply as, “Frist also said [on Fox News] he is considering various options to prevent Democrats from blocking votes on judicial nominees.” Anyone the Post assigns to write about Frist on Sunday should at least know what Frist actually said, in a lengthy and detailed speech, on Friday. But that would entail the reporter actually listening to the speech, if not live then on C-SPAN, and that would be hard, boring, work. Better to just watch Fox, Mr. Abrams.

AB