Senate Democrats To Be Selective in Their Filibusters

NY Times -- "We probably could have sustained a filibuster on Mr. Sutton," he told reporters. "But we want to be selective. I don't want to abuse the practice of filibusters."

The notion that the Democrats were being sparing in their use of a filibuster infuriated the Republicans.

In an effort to reproach the Republicans, Mr. Daschle proposed that the Senate immediately vote to confirm Judge Edward Prado, who has been nominated to the same appeals court as has Justice Owen.

Senator Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that it was an effort to demonstrate that the Republicans did not want to move Judge Prado's nomination because it would diminish their ability to claim that the opposition to Mr. Estrada involved his Hispanic heritage. The Republicans declined the proposal to vote on Judge Prado.