Revenge Of The Moderate

Lots of winners and losers from yesterdays late breaking deal on judicial filibusters.

The big winner obviously is the American people. This deal finally saw the clouds part and allowed the return of the American moderate...who has long been dormant through extremist dialouge from both sides of the political spectrum. Most surprising is the fact that the moderate Republicans finally took their stand against the extreme right wing of the Republican party. Will it cost them eventually? Maybe. We will see how vast and powerful the Talibaptists actually are as they are sure to target these seven moderate Republicans who used common sense and respect for the rules of government to avert a disaster.

The Big Winners
Democrats: The avoid having to resort to slowing down the government and still maintain the ability to filibuster an extremist for the Supreme Court, which was their biggest concern all along.

Janice Rogers Brown and Pricilla Owens: They will now receive their appointments to the appeals courts they have been waiting on for four years.

Harry Reid: He stood up to a clear majority of Republicans in the house and drew a line in the sand that challenged them. I think this worked out great for him and keeps establishing his reputation as a strong minority leader.

The Big Losers
Bill Frist: This whole manuever was a gamble for Frist. He needs the support of the extreme right to run for President in '08, but this move was not favored by the majority of Americans. He gambled on the side of the fundamentalists and was stood up by members of his own party. It makes him look weak in controlling his majority and have have seriously hobbled his chances in '08.

James Dobson and the Right: Dobson threw a lot of weight into this matter, seeing it as the most important issue for the right. He was hoping to use the change in rule to stack the judiciary with judges likely to strike down abortion and to continue to deny civil rights to homosexuals. He and his cronies invested lots of time and money into the Bush '04 campaign and have not seen the payoff. They will not easily forget the 7 who made this happen and will increase their jihad against the moderate Republicans even more than they have in the past.

Could be a Winner, Could be a Loser
John McCain: McCain stood up again to the extremist right and continues to look more and more like a true centrist moderate. Not only that, he continues to show his ability to be a coalition builder and someone that can reach out successfully to compromise with Democrats. This helps build his resume for '08 with moderates and independents. However, McCain has surely pissed off the extreme right for sure. They will work tirelessly now to not only destroy his chances in '08 (much like Rove did in '00), but they will be working overtime to unseat him in Arizona. My gut tells me that true courage like McCain shows will triumph in the end...he is the strongest candidate the Republicans have for '08 and is someone that will help guide the GOP back toward the middle ground.

George Bush: Most of his nominees will get a vote. Only 4 seem to be stuck in limbo. This still showcases his ineffectiveness in working to use his Republican majority in the Congress, but still has to feel good as he gets some of his judges in. The bigger test will come this summer when he has to appoint a Supreme Court replacement. Will he go for an acceptable conservative, or will he pander to Dobson and the right and pick a "judicial activist"?

Stem cells are up today.