Showdown Looms

It looks like the next Supreme Court nomination is likely to cause an explosion in the Senate.

The roster of those threatening a filibuster includes liberal and moderate Democrats, supporters and opponents of John G. Roberts Jr., Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, and at least one of the seven Democratic senators who were part of the bipartisan "Gang of 14."

And who are the likely targets of such a filibuster? Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown, who were cleared for appellate court positions only months ago. Howard Dean: "Those people are clearly not qualified to sit on the Supreme Court, and we're going to do everything we can to make sure they don't."

It will be fun to watch the Democrats turn themselves inside out trying to smear a woman. It will be even more fun if she turns out to be a black woman.