Harry Reid's Monumental Foolishness

Harry Reid seems to be laying the groundwork for future Democratic defeats.

"The president is not entitled to very much deference in staffing the third branch of government, the judiciary."

If the nation is ever foolish enough to elect a Democratic president again, Republicans would be well advised to recall those words and throw them back into the Democrats' faces.

Do Democrats really want the American confirmation system to move in that direction? Republicans may still be in the majority the next time a Democratic president nominates a justice. Is it now okay for them to vote against a person who -- as Mr. Reid put it of Judge Roberts -- is "an excellent lawyer" and "a thoughtful, mainstream judge" who may make "a fine Supreme Court justice" simply because the nominee doesn't represent their ideal? When that day comes, and Democrats cry foul, remember what Mr. Reid said about how little deference he believes he owes Mr. Bush concerning Judge Roberts.