7 Republicans and 7 Democrats in the Senate finalized a deal Monday evening to preserve the filibuster and come to a vote on 3 of Bush’s contentious Judicial nominees: Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor.

Cnn.com: The group’s members also agreed that they would oppose attempts to filibuster future judicial nominees except under “extraordinary circumstances.”

I’m thinking that the real weight of all this will come down if (more likely when) Bush selects nominees for the Supreme Court some time in the next three years.

Russ Feingold has come out against the deal, saying that it’s bad for the Senate and the American people:

Democrats should have stood together firmly against the bullying tactics of the Republican leadership abusing their power as they control both houses of Congress and the White House. Confirming unacceptable judicial nominations is simply a green light for the Bush administration to send more nominees who lack the judicial temperament or record to serve in these lifetime positions. I value the many traditions of the Senate, including the tradition of bipartisanship to forge consensus. I do not, however, value threatening to disregard an important Senate tradition, like occasional unlimited debate, when necessary. I respect all my colleagues very much who thought to end this playground squabble over judges, but I am disappointed in this deal.

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Full Cnn.com Story