AND THIS MONTH'S VICHY DEMOCRAT AWARD GOES TO...Diane Feinstein, who cast the key vote to let arch-reactionary Leslie Southwick out of the Judiciary Committee. Apparently, she saw the Roberts Court's first term, liked what she saw, and figured that the federal courts could use yet another neoconfederate judge. This would be one thing if it was a Southern Democrat, as opposed to someone in a safe-as-milk seat in one of the most liberal states in the country. Well played! Not that this is shocking; she's been an appalling wet for a long time. California really needs to get two Democrats in the Senate at some point. --Scott Lemieux
