The Other Club Fed

Two stories this morning with a common theme: the clubbiness of the Senate.

First, here's Mitch McConnell, Republican majoarity leader, with a heavy case of hurt feelings that Democrats actually tried to win the election in Kentucky (link).

And second, here's Grand Malefactor Ted Stevens getting a round of applause as he prepares to exit the marble halls for, one hopes (but, in fairness, one does not really expect), the stony lonesome.

I suspect the second is more intelligible than the first. In the case of Stevens--awyers who defend murder cases know that longevity breeds forgiveness: the jury is just not going to fry a guy they sat next to months and months. Especially if they can, um, you know, kind of recognize that they might commit the same kind of crime themselves. Remarkable how this works even in the case of a guy who, by all reports, is so deeply disliked among his peers.

McConnell just strikes me as one more instance of the Republican Vast Sense of Entitlement--rules for thee but not for me. Doesn't seem to bother McConnell, that his team worked so hard to blow the head off Tom Daschel a while back, but if you go after one of their own number, why then you should expect to pay.

Still together they recall the old French insight:

There is more difference betwen two socialists, one of whom is a deputy while the other of whom is not

than there is between two deputies, one of whom is a socialist while the other is not.

Afterthought: Yes, I suppose I could throw in the Dem's unwillingness to punish Joe Lieberman (though with the 60-vote goal line in sight, that may be a different issue). And one could contrast the field-dressing of John Dingell. May be a new reminder of the ancient insight that the Senate is a vast marmoreal geriatric center, while the House is just a loony bin.