What Digby said:

I'm taking a lot of criticism lately for fighting old wars and refusing to see that we are on the cusp of major change and that the Republicans are old news. I actually fervently hope that is correct. [But] here's why I take nothing at face value about these people:

Harper's Scott Horton, who was a law partner of Mukasey's and originally endorsed his confirmation -- on the grounds that he would be more likely than other potential nominees to exhibit independence (an assessment I shared) -- had this to say after watching the hearing yesterday:

Watching Mukasey was a painful experience. . . .The Senate Judiciary Committee put Michael Mukasey to the test yesterday. And he left the hearing room as an embarrassment to those who have known and worked with him over the last twenty years, and who mistakenly touted his independence and commitment to do the right thing, come what may.

Ask yourself what kind of political movement and party can induce a highly respected former federal judge to publicly destroy his reputation and his soul to justify torture? Are those the kind of people who give up?

Oh, Digby. You are so cynical! Wouldn't you give up if you were promised a Unity Pony? What's wrong with you?

A few remarks for the pro-Pony crowd:

1. It's not "demonization" to call somebody a torturer if, like, they actually tortured.

2. We've been here before with Nixon. Because we let Nixon up, so that the country could heal, we got Reagan and Bush. All the Conservatives flocking to Obama now are doing so solely and only for protective coloration, and to avoid accountability. They learned from Nixon--whose crimes are trivial by comparison to those of the Bush administration--just as we did.

3. It's not "demonization" to call somebody a criminal if, like, they actually committed crimes.