Thomas Lifson sums up winners and losers

Thomas Lifson at the American Thinker is always worth reading. His summary of the deal is right on. He says the biggest winners are Robert Byrd and John McCain.

Byrd, the master of the Senate mutual back-scratching deal, has avoided becoming an embarrassing spectacle as he reprised his filibuster role from the 1960s Civil Rights Act drama, a compelling portrait of an anti-black, ex-KKK Kleagle. Unlike the original, the Twenty-first Century remake would have been televised on C-SPAN II in glorious color, making far greater the damage to the Democrats’ hold on the essential lock on the black vote.

As for John McCain, once again he is in a position to make himself seen and heard, and to demand whatever he wants from the Senate Republicans and even from President Bush. He now holds hostage GOP solidarity on future judicial nomination filibusters, so they had better pay attention to his wants and needs. He and his Merry Band can defeat a rules change.

The mystery is what he will demand and get in return. He long ago lost any hold on the hearts of the conservative voting base, but he has renewed his claim on the voters in the middle of the political spectrum, Republicans, Democrats, and independents. For a man who loves the spotlight, praise from the media, and the ability to bend the powerful to his will on selected occasions, it is a very nice victory indeed. For the moment.

I think this is correct. McCain has won for the moment, but may well regret it later. Byrd got a huge win be avoiding showing the world what an ass he is.