"Nevertheless, she persisted."

It strikes me as fairly interesting that an obscure US Senate rule was used to shush MA Senator Elizabeth Warren as she was about to read into the Senate discussion on Sen. Jeff Sessions' confirmation to US AG a letter from Martin Luther King Jr's widow, Coretta Scott King, which had been written to encourage against a Federal judgeship for Sessions many years ago. Sen. McConnell indicated that this letter was being used by Senator Warren to impugn a fellow Senator.

I guess we have a kind of difference of opinion about what it means to impugn a person's character. For example, an epithet might be delivered that unfairly labels a person's activity. Or, one could just be straight-up describing the actual activity that a person engaged in, with the hope that the hearers decide for themselves what that conduct reveals. I think the reference to the letter is in keeping with the latter description of Warren's words, and that she should not have actually been told to hush up and sit down.

Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, to his credit, picked right up where she left off. 

The Senate Dems are at a distinct disadvantage in trying to deny the placement of Trump's cabinet picks. Tuesday, Trump's choice for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, was confirmed by Vice President Mike Pence acting as Senate tie-breaker. This occurred after unprecedented citizen feedback against her confirmation (Sen. Toomey might think PA residents aren't going to remember this six years out but, I dunno. We might.) But despite President Trump's somewhat disingenuous whining about how long it's taking for his cabinet to be complete (Obama had it worse--of course!) he is liable to get all his picks confirmed in pretty good time, despite how awful they are, because the GOP doesn't mind letting them in--

But to be quite realistic? How in the world does anyone not realize that what the Democratic base wants from our representatives is a fight? I want people like Senator Warren to persist their hearts out. I want the GOP in congress to look like hypocrites backing up scoundrels every damn day, and I want them called out by Democrats for it.

Every damn day.

So, thanks, Senate Dems, for persevering and persisting. I hope we enlarge your ranks the next election. Thanks for sticking up for civil rights and opposing an AG candidate that would not support them adequately.  It means a lot.