Greg Sargent reveals the hidden reason behind Sen. Reid's decision to call a quick vote in the Senate on the Mukasey nomination - a decision that may have been partly responsible for the fact that none of the five Senators who are Presidential candidates voted.  

The reason: Reid swapped the Mukasey vote for an agreement by the Republican Leadership to allow a vote on the Defense Appropriations Bill.  The Democrats were eager to vote for $459 billion in military funding that doesn't fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  That way the Democrats could avoid criticism from Republicans that they (Dems) don't support our troops and are soft on defense while still remaining true to their recently discovered anti-war "principles."  

OK, let me see if I understand this: Sen. Reid gave up an opportunity for a filibuster on Mukasey so that he could avoid the possibility of being criticized by Republicans.  Makes sense inside the beltway I guess: whenever you have a chance to jettison a principle in favor of avoiding criticism, go for it!

Man, these Democratic senators are sooo sensitive.  Don't want to be criticized.  That would really hurt.  All those tears might spoil Charlie Schumer's chardonnay while he's toasting the tax breaks he gave to his hedge fund pals at Blackstone.  

When it comes to the Senate, the only sensible response comes from the Marx Brothers:  

Apparently for presidential contenders, the professional advice - when faced with the prospect of defending a vital American principle - is to do what the knights did when faced with the White Rabbit in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail": "Run Awaaay!"

What a despicable comment on the absence of leaders in our political system.  Who do we look to to inspire us?  Or even to stand for something? Anything? 

To quote the Boss: "Is there anybody alive out there...?"