The Senate confirmed Priscilla Owen to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on a vote of 56-43 (full story here on Bloomberg.com). Republican Lincoln Chaffee voted against her, Democrats Robert Byrd and Mary Landriew voted for her, and Democrat Daniel Inouye didn't vote (HT: Fox News). All four of these Senators were involved in The Deal.
The Bloomberg story quotes Sen. Frist, "I am now hopeful but wary,'' said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican. "Standing firm for the principle of fair up or down votes, we have made real progress.''
I don't know if I completely agree with Frist. I am wary and not very hopeful. It's one thing to get a vote on one of the three that The Deal promised a vote for. It's quite another to see what comes after the three have had their votes.
Frist says they've "made real progress." Pardon my pessimism, but the "progress" has only brought us forward to four years ago, when Owen was nominated and should have received a vote. I'll wait a while before I'm ready to declare real progress.
Meanwhile, congratulations to the 5th Circuit Court, for finally gaining this strong, fair, non-activist judge.
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