The Democrats didn’t win all the final rounds of congressional action. The Republicans declared an embargo on judicial nominations until the new Congress, no matter how non-controversial the nominee was. This mean more delay in confirmation of P.K. Holmes of Fort Smith to a western district federal judgeship. He’ll be put forward again in the new Congress and, again, should be non-controversial. But there’s always a chance the Party of No will hold the justice system hostage over one or another individually objectionable nominee.
Surprise: The public thinks President Obama won the lame duck session. This has provoked some very sour grapes from Senate Repubs.
PS — The Senate did manage to confirm Chris Thyer of Jonesboro as U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Arkansas, based in Little Rock.