James Taranto notes, "Newsweek's Eleanor Clift, in a rare flash of insight, argues that "if the vote to confirm John Roberts were a secret ballot, . . . Roberts would rack up numbers like Ruth Bader Ginsburg (96-3) and Stephen Breyer (87-9)--both appointed by President Clinton--if Democrats didn't have to placate party activists so angry at President Bush they believe he should be opposed at every turn."

He also points out, "Incidentally, this is a good week for liberal Newsweek ladies. Clift's colleague Anna Quindlen makes an excellent point at the expense of Judiciary Committee Democrats: 'How could senators complain that they had not learned enough about the nominee when so many of them had wasted their allotted time giving pocket stump speeches?' "