I should know better than to be amazed by any of the tired ramblings of the tired old hacks and hackettes in the Washington press corps, but did you read Broder's editorial in today's Washington Post, entitled "Senate Democrats Should Make a Deal?" Basically, with (potentially) Snowe, Collins, Chafee, McCain, Warner and Hagel taking anti fillibuster-ending positions (which ould automatically mean that Frist loses his gambit) Broder calls on Democrats to accept Frist's "deal" of ending judicial fillibusters in return for a "guaranetee" of a 100-hour long "debate" on the nominations!
Get this Broder gem: "If everyone voted on party linbes on every one of the seven appointees, then there might be no mistake from the distriuctoive potential of the "nuclear option." But I think the Senate is better than that, and I think that Senators deserve a chance to demonstrate that they can meet their consitutional duty to share with the president the task of staffing the third branch of government."
Right, Mr. Broder. A 100-long "debate" is really going to make a difference in how the Rick Santorums of the world vote.
Seriously, what is this with Broder? He has constantly been arguing that the Democrats must fall on their swords. Is he just another tired impotent old fool who gets more conservative and reactionary as he grows older. Or has he just reached the point where all he wants in life is to go potty after his afternoon milky tea and warm toast - and, gee, all this fuss by the Democrats is just so noisy and distracting. Please stop, you darned Democrats - you're disrupting David Broder's peace while he's moving his bowels!
What a sad commentary on today's Washington press corps he is - in 1974 you had "crusading journalists" who sought to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. And in 2004, you have those who like to give backrubs to the powerful - lead by Proctologist-In-Chief David Broder!