Yes, actually. With only one senator -David Vetter of Louisiana and no stranger to ethical problems himself – voting against the a continuation of the Clinton Grifters are Us Show, its clear Republican senators have no courage. Writing in AT, John Robin Rice agrees:

I need only say the names of John Tower, Clarence Thomas and Robert Bork to remind people of the unfair and insipid gauntlet that the Democrats have used on Republican nominees. There is a longer list of really fine American men and women who have not been allowed their hearings or who have declined nomination because they did not want to weather the fire storm that would be brought upon themselves and their families.

Secretary of State nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton is now before the Senate for her nomination. If there was ever a clear conflict of interest for a nominee for this job, she is it. Her husband, President Bill Clinton sold his presidency and its power for his own personal gain. It has long been known that Senator Clinton intervened at least six times with her power on issues directly affecting companies and others that later contributed to her husband’s foundation. That’s what we already know. What else don’t we know? This makes the Blagojevich scandal look like child’s play. The fact that a former president and a sitting US Senator are involved in a “pay for play” scheme casts a much larger shadow than that of a state governor. The landscape for Ms. Clinton to act outside the interests of the United States is way too obvious and it is here that the Republicans in the senate should make their stand. If this is not the proverbial “line in the sand” then there never will be one

The reluctancy of Republican senators to stand up aganist flawed and ethically challenged nominees for President-elect Obama’s cabinet will not serve our nation well. One party bullying the other into lap dog status does not even rise to the level of loyal opposition. The confirmations of Eric Holder and Eric Geithner may be a fait accompli but rigorous questioning along with “no” votes are in order.

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