Quantum of umbrage: Throw the damned ball, Harry

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is like some third-grader getting his first chance in the outfield. He catches the hopper, then takes a step toward the infield, ball in hand, arm cocked . . . then another step . . . waiting for the runner to stop because he's really gonna throw the ball if he doesn't stop!

So the runner comes into third standing up.

Except that most third-graders catch on a lot faster than Senator Reid – the living embodiment of the reason that the phrase "as courageous as a former Nevada Gaming Commissioner" never really caught on – seems to have done.

I'm putting the odds at 60-40 that Reid, acting on exquisite respect for the courtesies and traditions of the Senate out of which the Senate Republicans have made a sad joke, will fail to pull the trigger and that either (1) those three Appeals Court positions will remain unfilled, or (2) he'll broker some sort of compromise in which Obama's original slate of nominees will be withdrawn and replaced by three candidates who are less qualified, well to the right ideologically, or both.

My sympathies to Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley – who even Reid now admits was right the last time he warned Reid he was about to get pantsed again – as he finds himself publicly saying he hopes it isn't Groundhog's Day.