Right Side of the Rainbow

UPDATE BELOW

Irony:

… many Republicans have relished the idea of a Democratic-led filibuster, saying it helps them portray the minority party as obstructionist and beholden to left-leaning groups.

[…]

[Democratic] Party sources said [Senate minority leader Harry] Reid and others worry that a filibuster, while likely to fail, will nonetheless detract voters’ attention from issues that Democratic leaders consider more promising. They include Bush’s controversial domestic surveillance program, the indictments of a top White House official and a congressional leader, and the unfolding scandal centered on former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Party leaders especially worry about forcing a filibuster decision on Democrats seeking reelection this fall in GOP-leaning states, including [Ben] Nelson [of Nebraska] and Kent Conrad [of North Dakota].

While Reid hoped to avoid a filibuster, Democratic Whip Richard J. Durbin (Ill.) supports it. But at a midday session with reporters, Durbin acknowledged the likely futility.

“Having made a count,” he said, “I have come to the conclusion it is highly unlikely that a filibuster would succeed.”

As I noted yesterday, a Democratic filibuster of Judge Alito’s nomination would be a godsend for Republicans. But I guess it’s not to be. Damn!

ADDED —

So if even Dick Durbin (D-Guantanamo Cell Blocks) says a filibuster is “highly unlikely” to succeed, why is John Kerry calling for one? Jeff Goldstein has the answer:

… this Kerry statement is less “news” than it is a rather predictable and cynical fundraising appeal aimed at the liberal-left activist crowd and those special interest lobbyists who have opposed Alito from the get go. It is, not to put too fine a point on it, an exercise in branding, a marketing campaign that is eminating, unsurprisingly, from the Mass Democratic camp, and from Senator Kerry in particular—a pure political animal who still believes he has an olive’s chance in Teddy Kennedy’s martini pitcher to win the 2008 presidency if he can Kos(t) past Hillary and her formidable cankles in the primaries. And to do so, he realizes he must stroke the hard left base.