A Dagger in the Wind

(Regular readers of James Taranto will understand the title of this post.)

Senator Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) told the left-wing American Constitution Society yesterday that he doesn’t see eye to eye with Justices Roberts and Alito. Since he voted against both of their confirmations, that falls into the mosquito-bites-man category. His complaint was also what one expects in these days when the Left increasingly sees the wisdom of Plessy v. Ferguson: The Roberts Court isn’t sufficiently respectful of precedent, particularly precedents upholding various forms of racial discrimination.

That’s an argument for another day. What was interesting in the speech was the Senator’s declaration that the Senate should refuse to confirm any further Bush appointees to the Supreme Court “except in extraordinary circumstances. . . . We cannot afford to see Justice Stevens replaced by another Roberts, or Justice Ginsburg by another Alito.”

That sort of bluntness is odd, a seemingly unnecessary provocation that can do nothing but rally and unify Republicans – particularly those who have forgotten that there are policy issues beyond immigration.

If, say, John Kerry had spoken thus, I would dismiss it as blather, but Senator Schumer has a reputation as a keen political strategist. Hence, I can’t help but think that he expects President Bush to have one or two more opportunities to make appointments before he leaves office, and that expectation may be founded on more than just the age and health of the two Justices whom he named. We may be hearing the first trumpet blast of a leftist campaign to keep as many vacancies open as possible for another President Clinton.