Ain’t no stoppin’ us now

James Taranto joins the Coalition of the Chillin’ in “Filibuster Bluster - Liberals threaten a fight over Justice O'Connor's replacement. Mr. President, call their bluff”:

The Democrats could filibuster [the Supreme Court nomination], a dilatory tactic that allows 41 senators to block a vote. This they did in 2003-04 to prevent the confirmation of a dozen or so appellate court nominees. But in May, under threat of the so-called nuclear option--a GOP maneuver that would have changed Senate rules to abolish judicial filibusters--seven Democratic senators agreed to a compromise in which they disavowed the filibuster except in "extraordinary circumstances."

That exception carries the potential for mischief, but it is unlikely to be realized. Five of the seven compromising Democrats come from states President Bush carried last year, as do 11 other Senate Democrats. These senators are no doubt mindful that their former leader, Tom Daschle, lost re-election in November in substantial part because of his obstruction of judicial nominees. With constituents much more conservative than Mr. Schumer's, they are far less inclined to do the bidding of extremist groups like People for the American Way.

The other day, Harry Reid sent a letter to the President warning him that judges who were part of the “Gang of 14” compromise were off the table in the minds of the Democrats. Bush should nominate one of them, preferably Janice Rogers Brown. (Hat tip: Polipundit)