I'm trying to keep an open mind on the asbestos bill myself -- there are certainly plenty of reasons to be skeptical about it -- but it's amusing to see the editors of New York Times, who ordinarily loathe litigation reform with a boundless passion, backing the Specter-Leahy measure so strongly that they would editorialize as follows:

... it's shocking to hear Mr. Reid threatening now to block a bipartisan bill that would finally bring justice and compensation to victims of asbestos-related diseases. We can't imagine what Mr. Reid is trying to achieve, other than showing fealty to the trial lawyers who have been so generous to his party.