Demagogue

Charles Krauthammer appears somewhat shocked that 13 senators voted against the confirmation of Condoleezza Rice because, historically, nobody every votes against confirming Secretaries of State

They have used it as a vehicle to stake out their opposition to the Iraq war. They are likely to pay a heavy political price. In this country, it is customary to allow the president to choose his own Cabinet so long as the nominee is minimally qualified. Rice is superbly qualified, and everyone concedes that. So it is mildly shocking that the Democrats mustered more votes against this nomination for secretary of state than have been cast against any since 1825.

Indeed, secretaries of state are generally approved unanimously. This is the first nomination in a quarter-century to have earned even a single dissenting vote. It is certainly legitimate for senators to use whatever instrument they wish to make a political point. But it is not very smart.

The fact that 13 senators would vote against Rice must show just how petty, partisan and out of touch they are.

Or maybe it just shows that this administration's incompetence and aversion to accountability is finally driving some members of the Senate to engaged in a bit of moderately unprecedented opposition.

If so, how dare a handful of Democratic senators vote against the President's nominee! Don't they know we are in the middle of totally unnecessary and costly war? This is no time to be casting a meaningless symbolic vote of protest.

Traitors.