The oily Chuck Schumer said he will vote for the confirmation of Michael B. Mukasey.
Mr. Schumer's announcement followed a private meeting today with Judge Mukasey to discuss waterboarding.
"I deeply oppose it," Mr. Schumer said of waterboarding. "Unfortunately, this nominee, indeed any proposed by President Bush, will not agree with this. I am, however, confident that this nominee would enforce a law that bans waterboarding."
Mr. Schumer, who was Judge Mukasey's chief Democratic sponsor, said the retired judge told him that if Congress passes a law banning waterboarding "the president would have absolutely no legal authority to ignore such a law." Mr. Schumer said Judge Mukasey said he would enforce any congressional ban the controversial interrogation method.
Safe all around. Schumer can rest assured that Judge Mukasey will not fail to enforce any ban congress chooses to pass on waterboarding. At the same time Judge Mukasey can be absolutely certain there will be no such ban to enforce. Twice congress has been given the opportunity to pass such a ban, and twice congress decided against. Apparently waterboarding is OK with them, while interestingly enough, it's not OK for it to be OK with anybody else, even when it's really not OK with anybody else. It all makes perfect sense when you think about it.
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