Senator Matthews, D-MSNBC?

"The secret truth of it is that everyone is guiltily, honestly, deeply relieved that foreign policy is now with a veteran team of Washington hands led by Hillary Clinton at State and General Jim Jones as national security adviser, supported by old Bush family consigliere Robert Gates at Defense and Clintonista champs Eric Holder at Justice and Janet Napolitano at Homeland.

"I heard a deep sigh from every Republican I pressed to talk -- and this was followed with a grin of consternation as they remarked that it could have been much, much worse. They sounded like survivors of a Prius crash. How much worse? Naming John Kerry or Bill Richardson made my colleagues gasp for air.

"Will any Republican go far enough to say they love it? No. Yet when you consider that this is the same posse that once chased the Clintons to impeachment and trial by Senate and harassed Mrs. Clinton as a harridan from Hades, the fact that no one is launching a website war against the nomination process, not a single Republican senator has offered a disconsolate word, neither a talk show doll nor a robo-talking head has popped up out of the trenches to aim an RPG--and even trusty Fox News shrugs in resignation--then this all translates into stealthy hosannas."

Not-so-stealthy hosannas at the New Republic, where A.J. Rossmiller marvels at the naming of Hillary, Janet Napolitano and Susan Rice:

"These appointments have garnered little criticism in large part because each appointee is so obviously -- indeed, overwhelmingly -- qualified. These are not token appointments, but rather a collective reflection of a recent and unprecedented ascendancy of women in these fields. Government positions dealing with war-fighting, tough negotiations, and security have for too long been off limits to women, due to prejudice and stereotypes, as well as structural impediments such as military restrictions against women serving in combat positions, a common path for upward mobility in these fields. But despite these long-lasting barriers, no one now questions the toughness or capabilities of these women. That these appointments have been met by a collective public yawn is itself a remarkable development."

National Review's Jim Geraghty might be watching too much TV:

"At first I groaned, then I laughed at the commercial for the 'Obama Commemorative Plate.' If you've watched cable news at all, you know the one. The announcer says the plate marks 'the day the world changed forever' and features a man writing a letter, who suddenly stops and looks over to make sure that Obama is still watching over him from the plate. The one where the announcer veers into self-parody, declaring, 'his confident smile and kind eyes are an inspiration to us all.' Speak for yourself, pal. By the way, guys, Chairman Mao's hagiographers called, they said that line was over the top."

Did you hear the one about Ed Rendell, caught on an open mic saying that Janet Napolitano is ideally suited to be homeland security czar "because, for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it."

The Pennsylvania governor's explanation to Gail Collins: It wasn't a sexist crack; he has no life either.

The Plaxico Burress story seems more suited to the New York Post than the WSJ op-ed page. But here's the Cato Institute's David Kopel arguing that the Giants star shouldn't be prosecuted because New York City's gun law violates the Constitution:

"To be sure, Mr. Burress got caught because of what appears to have been stupid and irresponsible behavior connected with the handgun. But he does not face prison for shooting himself. His impending mandatory sentence highlights the unfairness and unconstitutionality of New York City's draconian gun laws.

"Mr. Burress had previously had a handgun carry permit issued by Florida, for which he was required to pass a fingerprint-based background check. As a player for the Giants, he moved to Totowa, N.J., where he kept a Glock pistol. And last Friday night, he reportedly went to the Latin Quarter nightclub in midtown Manhattan carrying the loaded gun in his sweatpants. Because New York state permits to possess or carry handguns are not issued to nonresidents, Mr. Burress could not apply for a New York City permit."