It’s going to prove a weird spectacle on Capitol Hill if Senate Democrats end up seating Caroline Kennedy, a celebrity scion who’s never served in public office nor won an election, at the exact same time that they’re blocking Roland Burris, a career public servant who has both won elections and served in government. That’s not to say they shouldn’t do it — the issue is Blagojevich, not Burris — but it’s going to look strange. All of which again underscores the need to move away from governor appointments and toward special elections when vacancies arise.

Ezra Klein is a former Prospect writer and current editor-in-chief at Vox. His work has appeared in the LA Times, The Guardian, The Washington Monthly, The New Republic, Slate, and The Columbia Journalism Review. He’s been a commentator on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and more.