Spines of Steel

So Senators Feinstein and Schumer have decided to support Michael Mukasey's AG nomination, despite his refusal to call waterboarding torture. As I noted in response to WaPo's article this has become one sorry display of officialdom. Schumer hopes Mukasey can "restore the [Justice] department," and Feinstein says at least the nominee is "not Alberto Gonzales." Our national degradation is nearly complete. The Judiciary Committee will pass forward a man who won't call torture torture because, the logic apparently goes, it could be worse; by that I assume they mean we could have a nominee who might cackle with glee while refusing to condemn waterboarding instead of a nominee who says it's repugnant--while refusing to condemn waterboarding. A distinction without a difference, to be sure.
Here's something these senators ought to consider: the Justice Dept. cannot be "restored" by an AG who condones a form of torture long-rejected by civilized nations. It cannot be restored by a nominee who sees no wrong in spying on Americans without a warrant and without probable cause. There will be no restoration, just a maintenance of the status quo. And that status quo includes a complicit Senate.