Dick Durbin: “If I could ask one final question of the Senator from Nevada through the Chair? I know what the Senator said about his…”

“If I could ask one final question of the Senator from Nevada through the Chair? I know what the Senator said about his commitment to the traditions of the Senate, to the constitutional principles that guide the Senate, such as the protection of the minority so there will never be another tyranny of the majority; that you will have this filibuster that gives the minority, always, a voice in the dealings of the Senate. I know the Senator from Nevada--and I share his belief--is committed to this constitutional principle that goes back to our Founding Fathers. But I want to ask the Senator from Nevada in closing: Is it not true, as you announced yesterday, that despite this commitment to this core principle that you have reached out to the other side, to the Republican leadership, in an effort to try to find some common ground to work through our difficulties and differences over several different judges; that you have spoken directly to Senator Frist and many Republican Senators in an effort to try to resolve this, and that, sadly, Senator Frist came to the floor yesterday and announced he wouldn't be party to any negotiations to try to work this out?”