The Senate appeared closer than ever to undertaking the so-called "nuclear option" on Tuesday.

But less than an hour before a key vote, Majority Leader Harry Reid announced a breakthrough to avoid the significant rule changes in voting on President Barack Obama's executive nominees.

The deal, which was confirmed by a Senate aide, would allow five of Obama's nominations to go forward — nominees that include Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Gina McCarthy as EPA administrator, and Thomas Perez as Labor Secretary.

Obama, who has not agreed to the deal, would then swap out two nominees to the National Labor Relations Board — Sharon Block and Richard Griffin. His two replacements would get votes quickly before a deadline in August that would render the board inoperable. It was brokered, in part, by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), on whom Reid heaped praise this morning.

What would have changed if the "nuclear option" was invoked?

Practically, not much. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is carrying out the fight strictly on behalf of seven of Obama's executive nominees whose confirmations he says have been unfairly delayed by the Senate GOP.

The change would have reduced the threshold for confirming agency and Cabinet nominees to 51 votes, rather than the 60-vote threshold now in place. It would have had no bearing on rules for passing actual legislation — or even in confirming judicial appointments.

Early Tuesday morning, Reid signaled that there might have been an early-morning breakthrough that would avert the measures. He heaped praise on Republican Sen. John McCain, who he said was able to "break through" when no other Republicans were willing.

"I think we see a way forward that'll be good for everybody," Reid said.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and others have warned, in essence, that enacting the "nuclear option" is a slippery slope that could pave the way for future usage in future administrations — potentially using the "nuclear option" to inflict change on passing legislation or judicial appointments.

The key vote was that of Cordray. Republicans have blocked every possible nominee to the agency since its creation. He is one of two nominees Obama appointed, controversially, when the Senate was in recess in January 2012. Reid uses him as the symbol of Democrats' frustration in getting Obama's nominees confirmed.

"Do they have an objection against Richard Cordray; his qualifications?" Reid told a crowd Monday during an appearance at the Center for American Progress.

"Of course not. ... He was attorney general for the state of Ohio. There's nothing wrong with his qualifications. They just don't like his job. They don't like someone whose job, based on legislation that we passed and is signed into law, who takes a look for the consumer against the greed that happens on occasion in Wall Street."

The other six nominees are: Fred Hochberg to chair the Export-Import Bank; Gina McCarthy to lead the Environmental Protection Agency; Tom Perez to be Labor Secretary, and three Democratic nominees for the National Labor Relations Board.

Democrats' argument here is simple: Filibustering executive nominations has been rare all the way back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Obama, meanwhile, has already had 16 nominees filibustered; almost twice the amount of Bill Clinton, who is next on the list with nine.

