WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- A confrontation lies ahead in the U.S. Senate over President Bush's judicial nominees, but some members are working to soften the collision.
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he will bring two of Bush's controversial nominees -- Janice Rogers Brown and Priscilla Owen -- up for a vote this week.
With Republicans threatening to end the Democrats' right of filibuster on judicial nominees -- and Democrats not backing off on the challenge to about 10 of Bush's nominations, including Brown and Owens -- the confrontation is set. Democrats have threatened to shut down Senate business if the filibuster was taken away.
Some members said Sunday there were many people working to make sure the tone stays civil.
"There is a way out if people of good will will sit down and try to work toward a reasonable compromise and yet I see the extremes having, on both sides, an enormous influence over this process," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Sunday on ABC News' "This Week" program.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told "Fox News Sunday" a compromise was possible as long as all of the judicial nominees received a floor vote, as, he said, was the "courtesy" during the Clinton administration.
