Capitol Smackdown

"But, GOP sob stories notwithstanding, it really was a remarkable outbreak of minority uppityness. The Gingrich gang used to pull stuff like this all the time when the Dems controlled the House (if Pelosi tried the same tactics now, I think Hastert would probably have her taken outside and shot) but the Senate is still the world's most exclusive men's club and isn't supposed to have its feathers ruffled this way. It's like a pie fight breaking out at the Vatican."

But Charles Johnson at Little Green Footballs , it's fair to say, disapproves:

"In one sense, it's a good thing when the Democratic Party shows just how radicalized and out of touch they have become--but in another sense, it's depressing, because our political system needs two functioning, sane parties to work well, and one of them is clearly off the rails."

Other blogger headlines ranged from "Reid Hijacks Senate" at the Grape's Vine to "Give 'Em Hell Harry" at MQA .

Andrew Sullivan wants reporters to get mad over the Libby investigation:

"Where is the vice-president? When was the last time he held a press conference? I ask these obvious questions because reasonable and fair people, having read the indictments against his chief of staff, have reasonable and fair questions. Did Cheney direct Libby to out Valerie Wilson's identity? Why did he order an inquiry into her role? Does he condemn the leaking of her identity? Why has he held back important documents from the Senate that would help explain his role in formulating what turned out to be flawed intelligence before the Iraq war? That's just for starters.

"The issues here are profound ones: they suggest that the vice-president has abused his own power and put the nation's security at risk to pursue a political opponent. Maybe that's not true. Maybe there's an innocent explanation for all of this. So why cannot the vice-president explain? It seems at times as if he does not really regard himself as answerable to the people he represents - that once every four years is enough for him. But having the second most powerful man in the country refuse to be accountable for his actions is dangerous for democracy. He is not above this process. You and I pay his salary. It's time for the press to get angry about his silence and avoidance."

Moving on to Alito . . . Everything you are about to read is media hype. Or so says Halperin & Co. at The Note :

"Despite the long odds (we think) that Democrats will try to filibuster this pick -- the media is sure to spend the next few months counter-factually ratcheting up the impression that the outcome of the nomination hangs in the balance. Why is this?

"Well, some segments of the press like the 'Bush in trouble' storyline and don't want to give it up anytime soon."

Give me a moment until my blood pressure goes down.

"Some segments of the press pretty much always prefer to have (Republican) presidential nominees be derailed (although the blood-thirstiness on that score seems lower than usual for reasons we can't quite explain today -- beyond saying: this guy seems nice!!).