Defusing the nuclear option

Talk a week ago was how certain Frist was that he had the votes to overcome the filibuster. Polls are released saying the public doesn't support the nuclear option. Now the Washington Times is reporting Frist may have been all talk :

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist does not have firm support among his caucus to employ the so-called "nuclear option" for dislodging the Democratic filibusters against President Bush's judicial nominees.

Of the 55 Republicans in the chamber, at least six are undecided or adamantly opposed to the plan of using the rare parliamentary procedure to end the filibusters with a simple majority vote, rather than the 60 votes normally required.

"I am very concerned about the overuse of the filibuster," said Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican who said she remains undecided. "But I am also concerned that a rule change will further charge the partisan atmosphere to the point that we will not be able to conduct business."

I can't believe at this stage that Frist and the GOP are ready to go nuclear, especially in light of the public opinion debacle that the Terri Schiavo case has become for them.