Our genteel way of life

Here is some news that help spread Christmas cheer: Charles Pickering will not be seeking renomination to the Fifth Circuit. But as with all miniature silver linings, this one comes with an El Niño: Bush is pushing for the renomination of twelve judges to federal appellate courts, though the Senate had denied these twelve in Bush's first term.

Another tidbit for gallows-glad tidings: after Gore's concession in 2000, Bush said, "I was not elected to serve one party, but to serve one nation." If you examine the audiotape of this speech carefully, you can hear a chorus of neocons laughing all the way to the bank.