Senate's Hagel hopes for deal to end filibuster fight

WASHINGTON -- A leading Senate Republican expressed hope yesterday for a deal to end the divisive fight over the filibustering of judicial nominees, saying that ''some of us might be moderately intelligent enough to figure this out."

''We need to work through this," said Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, who is publicly undecided about whether to endorse the GOP threat to use their Senate majority to ban such filibusters.

Hagel noted that private efforts toward a compromise are continuing between Senate majority leader Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee, and Senate minority leader Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada.

''My goodness, you've got 100 United States senators. Some of us might be moderately intelligent enough to figure this out. We would, I think, debase our system and fail our country if we don't do this," Hagel told ABC's ''This Week."

''You can't give up a minority rights tool in the interest of the country, like the filibuster," he said. ''The other part of this, which I also believe strongly, is that presidents deserve votes on their nominees."

To Senator Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, ''It's that kind of statement that gives us hope."

The GOP is talking about seeking a parliamentary ruling that declares filibusters are not permitted against judicial nominees. That ruling would be submitted to the full Senate for a vote, with a simple majority required to prevail.

During President Bush's first term, Democrats filibustered 10 nominees to federal appeals courts and have said they will do so again this year for the seven that Bush renominated.

It takes 60 votes in the 100-member Senate to end unlimited debate intended to block legislation or a nomination. The current Senate has 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and one independent.