So, Bush had his meeting with Senate Republicans. He says “the status quo is unacceptable.” Yeah, tell me about it.

So, now what? The backdoor wrangling continues. Congress Daily reports:

...Senate Republican negotiators were close to agreeing on the number of amendments they want to bring up and could present that list to Reid as early as this evening, a GOP leadership aide said today.

The negotiators will meet at 5 p.m. to craft the list, which is expected to be in the range of 10 to 20 amendments. Democrats would be allowed an equal number of amendments under the emerging deal. The Republican list would likely include amendments dealing with enhanced enforcement triggers, an earlier “touchback” requirement for illegal immigrants seeking legal status, and a “fix” to an amendment that passed last week by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., to sunset the bill’s guestworker program. GOP aides said if Reid accepts their debate terms, the Republican votes are there to support another cloture motion to stop a filibuster on the immigration debate. But some of the amendments, if approved, might dissolve the fragile coalition that cobbled together the compromise legislation.

Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., said last week’s 15-vote deficit on the failed cloture motion does not reflect the will of the Republican Party.

NumbersUSA reports:

The Senate’s top two Republican leaders — McConnell (R-Ky.) and Lott (R-Miss.) — are using this opportunity to pull 15 Republicans (of the 38 who voted against amnesty last week) back to Pres. Bush’s side.

McConnell and Lott hope to get those 15 to sign off on a list of amendments they want brought up for a vote…

The list of 15 targeted Senators:

(*Senators up for re-election in 2008)

* Alexander (R-TN)
Bennett (R-UT)
* Cochran (R-MS)
* Coleman (R-MN)
* Collins (R-ME)
* Cornyn (R-TX)
* Craig (R-ID)
* Domenici (R-NM)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
* McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
* Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stevens (R-AK)
* Warner (R-VA)

Just keeping you up to date…

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