Novak on the Bolton Delay: Blame Christopher Dodd

Robert Novak has a harsh critique of the filibuster deal, and even harsher words for the Senate, in this piece at RealClearPolitics. Mostly, he blames the collapse of the agreement to vote for cloture on the Bolton nomination on Christopher Dodd, who has been mixing it up for years with Bolton over the normalization of relations with Cuba (Dodd is for, Bolton against). Novak blasts the agreement reached last week, and mocks the 'good feelings' that resulted, but notice this bombshell:

Could the "nuclear option" (forcing consideration of judicial nominees by a majority vote) be used to confirm Bolton? It is not "off the table," as Reid claims. Frist intends to use it if Democrats filibuster additional judicial nominees. Not all seven Republicans in on the compromise would oppose him in that case.

"...Frist intends to use it if Democrats filibuster additional judicial nominees." If that is so, then what have the Republicans lost? We got to take the moral high ground, we got three nominees a guaranteed up and down vote, and apparently, according to the well-sourced Novak, we fully intend to go nuclear if the Dems attempt a filibuster of other judicial nominees. Sounds like a win-win to me, and only reinforces my conviction that the Republicans have taken the Democrats for a ride on this one...