Schumer's Question

Schumer just asked Frist about his March 2000 vote against cloture on the Paez nomination. Frist answered that the issue wasn't cloture, but the up-or-down vote. Huh? Of course, if cloture had failed in that case, there wouldn't have been a vote, right?

Frist just said that the filibuster is "assassinat[ing]" these nominees! What?

Update: Durbin later got up and chastised Frist for his use of language. It's ironic that the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on judicial security this morning.