Senate

Oregon's junior senator, Republican Gordon Smith, faces an impressive -- and unusual -- Democratic challenger.

Every election cycle seems to bring one or two candidates who don't rise to national prominence, but whose curious biography, bizarre sense of humor, or plucky underdog perseverance in the face of long odds makes you root for them anyway. A few years ago, Blair Hull was my guy: professional Vegas card-counter turned math whiz who made a fortune in the market and decided to run for Illinois's open Senate seat (as it happened, against a guy named Barack Obama). MORE

The Senate voted to immunize telecom companies from lawsuits alleging that they spied illegally on their customers on behalf of the US government.

Sunshine is the best disinfectant, and the US senate inflicted one gnarly, purulent wound on American civil liberties today.  The vote does more than shield companies from having to pay damages for customers' claims.  It ensures that no one need ever know whether those claims are valid in the first place.  If the companies can defend their actions, then they should do so.  Now, in the absence of legal compulsion to explain themselves, they will almost certainly feel no moral compulsion either.

The bill will proceed, immunity intact.  Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) has threatened a filibuster.  John McCain voted for immunity, Barack Obama voted against it, and Hillary Clinton didn't vote at all.  Civil libertarians will not forget.