Perhaps Arlen Specter's victory this fall wasn't so bad for progressives (I certainly supported him over his Democratic rival). As CQ Today's Midday Update (free email service) reports, Specter appears to relish being a thorn in the side of the right as it tries to rid the Senate of filibusters.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter said today that he will "exercise every last ounce of my energy" to strike a deal with Democrats on President Bush's judicial nominations. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., has threatened to execute a parliamentary move that has become known as the "nuclear option" to short-circuit Democratic filibusters of Bush's judicial picks. Frist would need the support of at least half the senators present and voting in one or more procedural votes. It is not clear Frist has the votes he needs. Specter, R-Pa., has avoided taking a public position on the "nuclear option," but he is clearly reluctant to see the Senate's tradition of minority rights eroded. "I think historically if you were to flash ahead 100 years from now, this controversy over judges would be miniscule. It would not be a major matter in the life of the country. But minority rights are," Specter said.

It's good to see that there are a few Republicans who remeber life in the minority and realize that although there would be short-term benefits to getting rid of the filibuster, the long-range problems would be immense. Kudos to Specter for standing up to his party on this issue.