[Bush] issued a statement from Europe demanding an "up-or-down vote" on Priscilla R. Owen and Terrence W. Boyle for seats on appellate courts only hours before Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales held a news conference to cast the judicial dispute as one of "fairness." Despite a flurry of congressional negotiations yesterday, Senate Republicans appear increasingly likely to exercise the "nuclear option" of changing Senate rules to prevent Democrats from filibustering Bush's judicial nominees.

The filibuster allows a minority in the Senate to block almost any legislation as long as it can muster at least 40 votes. It is considered one of the great institutional checks on the influence of the majority party and sometimes the presidency. If it is eliminated for judicial nominations, Bush will enjoy greater latitude in filling vacancies on appellate courts, which are one step below the Supreme Court.

On a day of nearly nonstop news conferences and speeches about judicial nominees, Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) urged [Bill Frist] to call a vote for Thomas Griffith, nominated by Bush to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Griffith, who had practiced law in Utah without a license, has been controversial, but Reid said Democrats would not block his confirmation.