Democrats, GOP End Talks on Filibusters

Warner remained officially undecided yesterday. "Senator Warner has not indicated which way he will vote on the nuclear or constitutional option," said his spokesman, John Ullyot. "He is a traditionalist, and recognizes the historical importance of the filibuster to the Senate, but also feels that it has been misused in recent years with respect to judicial nominations."

On Sunday, another senior Republican senator, Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard G. Lugar (Ind.), said he opposes getting rid of the filibuster but stopped short of saying he would vote with the Democrats. Democrats said yesterday they doubt he will side with them, but they still think Specter might.

Twice yesterday, Reid openly appealed to Republican senators to join Democrats to defeat any effort to bar filibusters on judicial nominations -- once at an outdoor rally with labor leaders and a second time on the Senate floor. "I am confident and hopeful that there will be six Republican senators who will be profiles in courage," he said.

Nelson said he and others are prepared to find a compromise in the absence of a deal between Frist and Reid. The group, which also includes Sens. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), has been discussing a deal in which a handful of Republicans would agree not to vote to bar filibusters on judicial nominations and Democrats would agree to avoid filibusters except in the most extraordinary cases. In no case would Republicans change the rules during the current 109th Congress.

As part of the compromise, the group would propose that two of the four most controversial nominees be guaranteed up-or-down votes on the Senate floor, as well as votes on several nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. That would leave possible filibusters against the other two nominees.

But Nelson said there is no consensus on which two of the four should be put on a fast track to a vote. "That's been one of the most difficult parts of the negotiation -- trying to get agreement as to which should be on the fast track and those who should not be," he said.

Pryor said he and others are motivated to find a compromise "to demonstrate to the American people that we can work together." He added: "I think people all over the country are sick and tired of the bickering."

But he said he senses that Republicans are under great pressure not to compromise and said it will take more intensive talks to get an agreement. "At the moment, we're not there yet," he said.