Score one for Reid

When Harry Reid became Senate minority leader, many progressives and activists were dismayed at the mild-mannered and uninspiring leader that they had been given. But he has proven himself better for his time than his detractors ever imagined, and been a credit to the colleagues who elected him. First, he put together a war room to enable quick responses to Republican maneouvers (and it proved its merits with flashy counter-moves on several recent issues and the introduction of some excellent framing, such as a debt-derived "birth tax" introduced after the State of the Union), and now he's made a touching and pointed speech at the close of the Gonzales confirmation hearings yesterday.

If we fail to oppose an evil as obvious as torture -- it is an evil and it is obvious it is wrong--then as President Thomas Jefferson said, I will "tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just."

To the 36 Democrats who stood up for their principles and our national reputation, kudos. And to those like Joe Lieberman who couldn't be bothered, beware the volcano . . .