Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist placed one of President Bush's most controversial judicial nominees on the Senate agenda today as he put forward the nomination of Texas judge Priscilla Owen. All efforts to reach a compromise between Frist and Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid have failed. A showdown regarding the process in which the Senate votes on judicial nominees now looms with the real possibility that the Senate could close down entirely while the battle rages.

Frist tried to couch his actions in the most positive light possible. 'I'm trying to move to a qualified nominee, Priscilla Owen and we hear these attempts to delay even right now, to sidetrack, to even consider somebody else and that's the challenge,' Frist said. 'That's why we're on the floor of the United States Senate, with the light of day, with the American people watching.'

Reid offered a last minute compromise by calling a Senators-only meeting with no aides and no members of the press present but Frist rejected that offer as well. 'Have all of us retire to the chamber, sit down and talk though this issue to see if there's a way we can resolve this short of this nuclear option,' Reid said.

Debate is expected to continue on Owen's nomination for the rest of this week before Frist calls a test vote some time next week. If the vote fails to approve Owen's nomination, Frist plans to put forth a vote banning judicial filibusters according to his aides.

Reid remained adamant about what he feels is the agenda of the White House, Frist and the right-wing of the Republican party. 'The goal of the Republican leadership and their allies in the White House is to pave the way for a Supreme Court nominee who would only need 50 votes for confirmation rather than 60.' Reid said, referring to the number of votes it takes to override a filibuster.

Both sides claim they will have the votes to prevail if a showdown takes place but at this time, it appears the vote on a change to the rules would be close.

Filibusters have been used by both parties historically to block judicial nominees they feel are unqualified or too extreme in their views. In fact, Frist himself used a filibuster to block some of President Clinton's judicial nominees.

Public opinion would be the key to resolving the dispute if all business in the Senate stops as a result of this showdown.

Right now, however, the Senate appears to be inching closer and closer to a standoff that may halt all legislative activity before it is resolved.