Strange Bedfellows

Politics, in the Bush years, have made strange bedfellows. An example is found on James Bovard's underutilized blog. The libertarian who sometimes writes for The American Spectator praises the leftwing Democrat's tough questioning of Condoleeza Rice:

Condoleeza Rice was before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today for a rubber stamp confirmation hearing to be Secretary of State. Most of the senators kowtowed to her. Sen. Barbara Boxer, on the other hand, single-handedly at least temporarily redeemed the honor of the Democratic Party. Boxer hammered Rice with her false statements and contradictions on Iraq and on terrorism.

Rice looked indignant -- perhaps a bit shocked that Boxer had not been informed of Rice's pending coronation. Rice did what a Bush appointee caught in a bald-faced lie does best: get righteous. "We can have this discussion in any way that you would like, but I really hope that you will refrain from impugning my integrity," Rice told Boxer. "I really hope that you will not imply that I take the truth lightly."

Boxer was implying no such thing. Instead, Boxer was vigorously detailing how Rice stomped the hell out of the truth. And for Rice to act like some slandered virgin on the integrity front fails the laugh test.