Judicial nominations

San Francisco Chronicle

It is a measure of the current state of dysfunction in Washington that a passing breeze of rationality is hailed as something consequential, let alone statesmanlike.

The fact is, the partisans on the right and left were both losing in the stalemate over judicial nominations.

Neither side was winning any friends, but each was successful in portraying the other side as unreasonable: Democrats as obstructionists and Republicans as power-grabbers.

The average voter may not be able to define cloture, but knows the meaning of gridlock. Monday's compromise won't make it vanish. It just offered a short reprieve -- with a high cost. ...

The future of this conflict rests with the White House.

If President Bush wants to continue to nominate judges with open contempt for the environment, reproductive freedom or civil rights, then Senate Democrats should not flinch at using extraordinary means to stop them.