[Congressman Billybob]

What we have now is called in the theory of warfare, "preparing the battlefield." On the last Senate, Frist had a false majority. On paper there was a Republican majority, but when push came to shove, squish Republicans would run for the tall grass.

In the new Senate, the squish Republicans are still there. But there may be enough real Republicans to hold the majority. That's step one.

The next step is to get on the floor of the Committee a judicial nominee who is ideologically correct for the President, but hardest of all for the Democrats to sabotage. That lead nominee is Janice Brown, from the Supreme Court of California. That step will take place this very afternoon when Judge Brown is voted out of Committee and onto the Senate floor.

There may be a third step. Frist may propose in the Senate the Lieberman declining-vote filibuster. That plan, put forward more than a decade ago, would drop the votes required for a filibuster in stages, until majority vote applied. The present Senator Lieberman will probably vote against the Lieberman plan, clearly exposing to all the hypocrisy of the Senate Democrats.

Then it will be time to pull the trigger. That time is now about two weeks away. I, too, wish it were done and accomplished yesterday. But the battlefield must be prepared for victory.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "A Triple Black Dog Double Dare to Infinity."

[an amused spectator]

Huck wants the Republicans to exercise the Beorthnoth option.

[Huck]

I love Janice Rogers Brown. She's the pick of the litter, if you ask me. As far as I can tell the battlefield's been set for sometime. All they have to do now is do it.

[Huck]

That step will take place this very afternoon when Judge Brown is voted out of Committee and onto the Senate floor.

That's what I'm talking about. Today is good. That's all I am saying is it's time to move already.