Wanted: An Opposition Party

Glenn, Jane and Digby discuss the Senate Judiciary Committee's depressing endorsement of General Hayden--an active general who is up to his ears in the NSA's domestic spying scandals--as the new Director of the CIA. Most depressingly, four Democrats (Feinstein, Rockefeller, Levin and Mikulski) voted for Hayden despite his demonstrable lack of respect for laws restricting domestic spying and despite the President's plummeting popularity:

The committee's vice chairman, John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, said General Hayden had shown "the necessary independence that is essential to restoring the C.I.A.'s credibility and stature."

The Democrats who voted against the nomination were Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Evan Bayh of Indiana. Each cited concerns about General Hayden's role in a controversial domestic surveillance program he ran while head of the National Security Agency.

"I am not convinced that the nominee respects the rule of law and Congress's oversight responsibilities," Mr. Feingold said.