Santorum tries a shortcut to nuclear power

by invoking Godwin's Law:

Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Republican Whip, on the Senate floor May 19, 2005: "... the audacity of some members to stand up and say, how dare you break this rule. It's the equivalent of Adolf Hitler in 1942 saying, 'I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me. How dare you bomb my city? It's mine.'"

which, presumably, should have immediately ended the debate.

huh?

Washington Post: Poll: Senate Should Examine Federal Judges

There are two poll results quoted here that particularly puzzle me in combination:

More than three-quarters of Americans say the Senate should aggressively examine federal judicial nominees and not just approve them because they are the president's choices.

...

A slim majority--52 percent--say they would be comfortable with whomever President Bush might pick for the Supreme Court.

I'm tempted to interpret this as "the Senate ought to be conscientious, but I can't be bothered to be 'cause it's not my job". Possibly it's a general-vs.-specific thing ("in general I think that the Senate ought to, but in particular I think Bush's picks are likely to be OK"). Which causes me to wonder if all sitting Presidents get this sort of vote of confidence boost in this regard.

Anyway: weird.