The bottom line…

…from Eric Alterman.

While the attempt at a filibuster was doomed from the start, the majority of Democratic Senators for once listened to their vocal constituents and instead of taking a centrist position, took a stand.

There it is. We weren't supposed to win. Hell, we weren't even supposed to matter. But we mattered. We moved Senators into our column. We put every Senate Democrat with Presidential prospects or aspirations (and there's a big difference between those lists) on record. We clogged phone lines, filled mailboxes, probably broke a few fax machines. We turned a pipe dream into a show down.

We mattered, and because we mattered, we won.

OK, we didn't win the big one of the week, but that was a rigged game from the get go. There are big ones to come. There's a huge one in November.

I'm personally saddened by Maria Cantwell's vote on cloture. I've known Maria as a political friend for over 20 years now, and I know she's better than her behavior on this one. But Maria Cantwell isn't the reason Sam Alito's on the Court. And she damn sure knows we're out here.

For now, though, let's call off the lynch mobs and open the champagne. Remember, "...the majority of Democratic Senators for once listened to their vocal constituents and instead of taking a centrist position, took a stand."

And you really should raise a glass to that Kerry fella...