Two Faces of Ted

Ted Kennedy, the Democrats' liberal lion, is girding for a fight in the Senate over President Bush's choice to succeed the retiring Sandra Day O'Connor at the Supreme Court. Kennedy told the press the nominee can expect a grilling on how he or she might vote on specific issues. "As part of the confirmation process, the American people will reasonably expect those questions to be asked and the nominees to answer them," Kennedy said.

That's funny. In 1981, during confirmation hearings for O'Connor (who was overwhelmingly approved by both parties), Kennedy said that it was "offensive to suggest that a potential justice must pass the litmus test of any single-issue interest group."

Keep that in mind when the Democrats attempt to do just that. And they will.